


ROTTMNT Imagines!

by KonamiKofi



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Crushes, Cuddles, Cuddling, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Imagines, M/M, More characters to be added! - Freeform, Multi, Mutual Pining, Other, Pining, Reader Insert, Romance, Scenarios, Swearing, taking requests
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:01:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 29,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22502947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KonamiKofi/pseuds/KonamiKofi
Summary: Imagines for Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! I really love this incarnation, but so few people write for them! So, I decided to take it into my own hands. [I'm back!!]
Relationships: April O'Neil (TMNT)/Reader, Donatello (TMNT)/Reader, Leonardo (TMNT)/Reader, Michelangelo (TMNT)/Reader, Raphael (TMNT)/Reader
Comments: 94
Kudos: 416





	1. Crush: Donatello

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donatello with a crush!

  * He thinks he’s above having crushes, and in a way, he is. He’s above having crushes in the sense that it’s never simple infatuation. Unfortunately, this means that when he falls, he falls _hard._

  * He’d known you for a while before feelings started to develop. You guys were pretty much inseparable! 

  * Late nights shared between you two are common. Whether its staying up late with Donnie while he finishes a project, staying up late together to binge a new show, or even just sharing the room together: nights are the most active time for you both. 

  * He absolutely denies the feelings once he starts to develop them. 

  * “Whaat?? Leo, we’re literally just friends. We’re close. Just friends being friends. Nothing more. Don’t talk about this ever again.”

  * Leo keeps talking about it. 

  * He _knows_ Donnie’s repressing his feelings! 

  * The more Leo pesters him about it, the more flustered he gets. 

  * Eventually, he does realize that _maybe_ his feelings aren’t as platonic as he once thought. 

  * You’re all playing Mortal Kombat together, taking turns to verse the winner. After you lose a battle, you get up to go grab a drink from the kitchen. As you’re getting up, you place a hand on Donnie’s shoulder, leaning down to ask him if he wants anything. He freezes up, and his voice gets caught in his throat. He just can’t stop looking at you. 

  * “Donnie? You okay?” you ask. You give him a gentle, concerned look which snaps him back to reality. 

  * “Sorry, I was thinking. I’ll take whatever you’re having.” 

  * When you turn your back, all of his brothers are giving him _the look._ Mikey’s making kissy faces at him, Raph’s making heart hands, Leo’s over exaggerating the face Donnie was making. 

  * He whacks the nearest brother with the controller. (It was Leo. It’s always Leo.) 

  * From that day forward, he starts overanalyzing everything. His actions, your actions, everything. 

  * ‘Shit, was that awkward? Do they like me? Do they know I like them? Do they hate me? Was that cool? How can I impress them?’ 

  * His thoughts are running a mile a minute when he’s around you. 

  * Likes to make you things!! He never gives anything to his brothers, but for you? He’ll pick up on anything. Mention a cool piece of tech? Hey, he just so happened to be working on recreating it. Thinking about making a cosplay? Cool, so was he! Maybe you could go together! Talking about food cravings? He can’t cook, but you don’t need to know that Mikey made it. 

  * Gift-giving and time is his love language! He expresses his affection for you in this way, so if you do the same? He just falls deeper. 

  * His search history is a hot mess. 

  * “Does my crush like me?” “Does my crush like me back?” “How to stop having a crush.” “How to make my crush like me back” “What does it mean when your crush asks for a hug” “Cool gifts to give to your crush” “how to impress someone” “how to be nice to someone you like” “how to ask someone out” 

  * He deletes it all immediately because he’s afraid someone’s going to snoop through his history. 

  * He tries really hard not to cry when you tell him you’re proud of him. You just mean so much to him, and nobody ever really tells him that they’re proud of him, so hearing it from you? He gets super emotional. 

  * You’re the only one he’s okay with touching. Sure, he’s freaking out internally, but he really enjoys it! If you tease him for being sweet, he’ll totally play it off as a body heat thing. 

  * He loves listening to you talk. You’re the only person he won’t talk over during a conversation. His brothers are envious. 

  * Loves to bounce ideas off of you too! You’ve been around him long enough to give him your true opinion on his work, and by now you know enough to actually give pointers on how to improve his concepts. He really values your opinion and expertise. Plus, he’ll take any chance he can to impress you. 

  * He’s really afraid of confessing. He doesn’t want to lose the relationship you have now. He acts really confident, but he has a lot of personal issues! If he ever does confess, it’s not going to be intentional. If anything, it’ll just slip out while you two are alone. 

  * Unless, you confess first. 

  * He’ll think you’re joking at first. You really have to convince him that _yes,_ you _do_ like him like that. 

  * Once he accepts it, his ego goes through the roof. Pray for his family, because he’s going to be _insufferable_ for the next few months. He’s especially soft around you though!




**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm open for requests, so if there's anything you'd like to see written, let me know!


	2. Crush: Leonardo

  * He gets crushes really easily, actually. It’s different once he actually knows you though. 
  * You aren’t just the typical crush for him. He’s known you for quite a while, and he’s actually gotten to know you! Ordinarily, he would just use a bunch of one-liners in an attempt to woo you, then give up. But you aren’t ordinary to him. 
  * With anybody else, he would be oozing an almost sickening confidence. But he gets somewhat tongue-tied with you! He trips and drops a lot of stuff once he starts to understand what he’s feeling. 
  * He thinks the universe has it out for him. 
  * He’s always doing stuff to try and impress you. That’s where most of his injuries come from, actually. 
  * Especially because you always laugh and take care of him when he gets a bump or bruise. He’ll fall 1000 times if it means you’ll help him up. He loves the way you hold his hand, muscles flexing as you help pull him to his feet. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't staring. 
  * He loves the feeling of having a crush though! He’s super in-tune with his emotions, and he loves that feeling of joy he gets when he’s around you! 
  * For the first few days/weeks of having a crush, he gets absurdly flustered around you. Stuttering, flushing, pacing: textbook crush behavior. As time goes on, he gets some of his confidence back. He still retains that clumsiness, however. 
  * He’s absolutely looked up cheesy one-liners to use on you. They’re so bad that you think he’s just joking. 
  * (He thinks he’s super smooth. And the confidence that he says them with is almost endearing. Almost.) 
  * He’s always initiating some kind of contact with you if you’re comfortable with it. 
  * An arm resting on your shoulder, a hand on the small of your back while walking, piggyback rides, anything!! 
  * Reassurance and physical touch are his love languages. If you respond back in these languages, he’ll melt. 
  * His voice pitches whenever you initiate hugs. He gets super flustered, and it takes him a second to wrap his arms around you. He'll sway as he holds you, relishing your closeness. 
  * He’ll text you photos of things that remind him of you! Posts about your favourite animals, aesthetics that remind him of you, or even things he saw while patrolling at night. He wants you to know he’s thinking about you. 
  * His lockscreen is just a screenshot of Jupiter Jim, but his homescreen is a picture of you two. It’s a photo you took together while in an old abandoned arcade. The faint blue light of the arcade machines made you look like royalty, in his mind. (He always angles his phone away from you when he unlocks it. He’d die if you ever found out.) 
  * Little does he know, your homescreen is the same as his.
  * He also tries to make you laugh a lot! He thinks your laugh is very attractive, and knowing that he’s the one causing it? Euphoria. 
  * He has some self-confidence issues, so it’ll probably take him a while to confess to you. He’s hoping that you’ll do it first, but if given enough time, he’ll take the first step. 
  * He takes you out to the Hidden City, just the two of you. All in all, it’s a really fun night! You guys get pizza at Run of the Mill before exploring the Hidden City. There's a lot of places you guys have never seen before, so it's really cool getting to explore with him!
  * At the end of the night, he asks if that could be considered a date. He had been planning to say something smoother, but it just sort of slipped out. He's incredibly embarrassed, but he doesn't try to cover it up. 
  * He could feel his heartbeat echoing throughout his entire body as he waited for a response. 
  * He softened when you smiled and melted when you said that, _yes_ , he could call this a date, and that _yes,_ ** _you’d like to do this again sometime._**




	3. Crush: Michelangelo

  * He’s super in-tune with his emotions, so he recognized the feeling not long after it started developing. 
  * He honestly won’t treat you much differently! You still mean just as much to him as you did last week, so a few more mushy feelings doesn’t change much. Just a friend he wants to kiss and spend the rest of his life with, right? 
  * You’re his muse! If you were to take a flip through his sketchbook, you could absolutely see when he started developing feelings for you. His usual rainbow of colours started getting narrower until ultimately, every page was marked with your colours. It’s poetic, in a way. 
  * He doesn’t like drawing people, and he feels like he wouldn’t do your image justice. He could never capture your beauty in a simple sketch. Instead, he draws things that remind him of you! 
  * Matching ventilation masks for when you guys graffiti together? Absolutely! He loves matching with you, he thinks it’s romantic. 
  * He’s thought about taking up baking for you! He’s a great cook since it’s more of an artistic practice. Baking, however, is more structured, which Mikey isn’t very good with. Organized chaos is more of his thing, you know? Donnie’s always described baking as “edible chemistry.” He really wants to make you nice little goodie bags though!! He practices while you’re away, and the rest of the turtles have to guinea pig his desserts. They all crave death. 
  * He’ll sit in his emotions for a little while, waiting to see if you feel the same. Unlike Donatello and Leonardo, he isn’t afraid of being rejected! Worst comes to worst, it’s a little awkward for a few days. Best case scenario: you guys get together! Sure, rejection hurts, but he wants your guys’ relationship to be as genuine as possible. Friendship, or otherwise. 
  * You guys are hanging out at Cuddle Cakes Puppy Rescue when he decides to confess. He originally had a plan of confessing to you at dinner, but he changes his mind. You just look so cute when you’re surrounded by so many puppies! 
  * Of course, he makes sure you know how adorable you look. 
  * He compliments you quite a few times during your stay there, gauging your reactions to each one. The more flustered you get, the more he gives. He loves!! Your flustered face!! He’s grinning the whole time, and his face is sore by the time you guys leave. 
  * On the walk home, he decides to ask you out. 
  * He’s very excited when you say yes! He smiles and sets up a good time that works for both of you. He texts you cute gifs when he gets home. 
  * He’s on his phone a lot more often now that you two are dating! Donatello has had to pull his phone down quite a few times because Mikey’s too busy texting you to pay attention to anything else.




	4. Crush: Raphael

  * Raph is a softie, we all know this. He’s also the most in-tune with his feelings! He immediately understands what he’s feeling, but he prefers not to label it, unlike Mikey. 
  * Raph sees feelings as more of a spectrum. A lot of feelings overlap and intermingle with one another, so there isn’t much use in labeling more complex ones. It just complicates things, in his opinion. He gets really flustered when anyone calls it a crush. 
  * He decides that he’ll just do what feels right and let your relationship progress naturally. He isn’t a planner, really. He’ll just figure it out as he goes! 
  * His guilty pleasure is rom-coms. He’s a sucker for a happy ending. As such, his advances tend to be pretty sappy and cute. 
  * He really likes the idea of giving you flowers! He’ll steal some from Donnie’s horticulture & botany garden to give to you in a bouquet. He’ll look up the meanings of them and write them on a little handmade card attached to the gift. Whether or not he guessed the flower correctly, well, it’s up to fate. It’s the thought that counts!
  * His handwriting is slanted and somewhat sloppy. He dots all of his I’s with little hearts when he writes for you, though! 
  * He loves to listen to you talk about your passions! Interests are one thing, but he strongly believes that passions are a gateway to the soul. That spark you get in your eyes as you talk about something you’re passionate about always leaves him dumbstruck. If you’re passionate about it, so is he! 
  * That’s one of the ways he looks for compatibility, too. If you listen to _him_ talk about his passions, even if you don’t understand it, he’s much more likely to make a move. He’s really interested in you, but he wants to make sure that you like him just as much as he likes you before he solidifies anything!
  * Before you ask, _yes,_ he absolutely has a love-stink. His brothers are tired of it. You just think that’s how the lair smells. 
  * (It smells like blood oranges.)
  * Raph gives the best hugs. He’s just...so strong. And he’s super affectionate too, so prepare for a lot of affection! He gets really flustered when you ask for hugs or piggybacks, but he always gives them!! The more you do it, the more relaxed he gets about it; but, it’s really cute the first few times. He gets this giddy little smile and stutters when he tries to talk. 
  * He’s kind of hoping he’ll never have to confess, honestly. The more he thinks about it, the more intimidated he gets. 
  * What if you reject him? What if he says it wrong? Does it matter how he says it? Does he actually want a romance? Is he experienced enough? Should he wait? Did he miss his chance? Why does someone have to confess? Why can’t you guys just fall into it naturally? 
  * He’s very overwhelmed. Planning just isn’t his thing! It shouldn’t be this complicated! He doesn’t work well under pressure!
  * Honestly, pretty much everyone thinks you two are already a couple. If you want clarification though, you’ll probably have to be the one to initiate it. 
  * Of course, he might just blurt out “do you wanna go out with me this weekend?” while you two are chilling together. It’s super clumsy and abrupt, and he freezes up if you press him for clarification, but it’s sweet. Planning is overrated, anyway. 
  * Things don’t really change much once you two start dating. He’s _very_ excited to call you his partner, though!




	5. Dutchies - Donatello

New York was one of the weirdest places you’ve ever lived. The rainy weather, the high prices, the cramped subways, everything: it was all very strange. Everyone had always said that New York was big, but perhaps you had underestimated the sheer size of the city. Honestly, you had never seen so many people in one place, much less work together. The pounding of feet on pavement was once a sound that would have sent shocks through your soul; however, you had grown used to the hustle and bustle of the city. Your eyes traced the picture of the coffee cup, committing it to memory. Painted wings stretched themselves out along the cup, depicting a bird in flight. A goose, perhaps? You could never tell, and you never bothered to ask. Regardless, it was a sight that had become familiar to you. Routine, even. Get dressed, pull on your shoes, buy your morning coffee, and crawl down into the sewers. 

Perhaps that routine was weirder than you gave it credit for; although, the turtles you had grown to love were far more hospitable than your average New Yorker. 

You looked up from your spot on the bean bag, zapping yourself back into reality. A smile worked its way across your face as you took in your surroundings once more. The frantic mashing of buttons echoed throughout the room, Mikey and Leo shouting out incoherent obscenities to one another. You flipped your Wiimote loosely in your hand, refocusing your attention on the game at hand. You had no idea what person in their right mind would ever throw away a video game, much less Mario Party 8, but hey! You guys aren’t complaining. 

“This game is rigged!” Leo groaned, throwing his head back. He went limp as though feigning death. Which all things considered, is a perfectly valid response to losing a minigame. Mikey cheered in response before sticking his tongue out at Leo. Also a valid response, in your opinion. You chuckled at their antics before jamming your heel into the eccentric turtle's side. He lurched forward, trying to kick you back before failing miserably. He slid off the couch, claiming that 'it was just comfier down there,' and that 'he totally meant to do that.' Donatello got up from the other end of the couch, moving to steal Michelangelo's seat before anyone else could. You rolled your eyes, giving a toothy grin. 

“Hit A, we need to get past this screen so I can kick your ass,” you joked. You set your coffee down, fully prepared to roll the highest possible number on the die. You’re getting that star, damn it. Mikey smiled cheekily before responding with the typical, “yeah, right.” 

You played for hours, hardly ever touching your coffee. Mikey won, of course. He always does! Donnie thinks he sold his soul in exchange for RNG luck. You think he’s a sore loser, but hey, he’s not wrong. You hummed, amused, as the two youngest turtles bickered. You picked up your forgotten coffee cup, swirling the remaining fluid. You make quick eye contact with Donnie, offering the remains in a practiced silence. He reaches over to grab it, nodding appreciatively. 

“I don’t get why you always buy these, you never finish them,” he murmurs. You pause, confused at your own actions as well. Shrugging, you respond gently: “I don’t know either, honestly. I just haven’t made it around to trying other coffee shops yet.” He raises an eyebrow, perplexed. You half expect him to pull out a notebook for a “social experiment,” as he calls it. Yet, he stays planted on the couch, tilting the cardboard cup at you encouragingly. He takes a sip, and you’re momentarily distracted by the serenity emanating from him. Maybe that’s just you though. Mildly flustered, you continue: “Nothing will ever be as good as Dutchies.” 

You talk for a while more, the rest of his family causing chaos in the background. You talk about your home back west, recalling your favourite coffee orders. He seemed particularly interested in the 911 and Iced Double Torture. You didn’t know if it was the names or the espresso that caught his attention, but you made a mental note of it. 

‘I’ll have to send him snaps of the menu when I go home for Christmas,’ you thought. ‘If he’s gonna send me photos of cute dogs I can’t have, I’ll have to send him photos of coffee he can’t have.” You huffed, laughing under your breath. 

“Is it really called Dutchies?” he asked, “like the furry?” You couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled from you. You kicked him lightly: “Of course you’d think it was a furry thing.” He kicked you back as you continued, “but no, it’s full name is Dutch Bros. We just call it Dutchies ‘cause it sounds better.” You reflexively went to grab your coffee cup, only to realize that you had already given it to Donnie. Maybe you had a caffeine problem. He snickered, taking a sip from the cup. “I can see why,” he mused, “I wouldn’t be caught dead saying ‘bro’ for any reason other than ironic memes.” 

And thus, your routine resumed. Get dressed, get your mediocre coffee, crawl into the sewers, go to school. Boring, save for your time with the turtles; and yet, your routine persisted. Until two weeks later. 

A loud vibration echoed throughout the room. Reflexively, you got out of bed to shut off your alarm clock. Realizing that it wasn’t the object making the noise, you spun around the room in your half-awake daze. You stumbled towards the light of your phone, swiping right and holding it up to your ear. 

“Hello?” You didn’t have the energy for a proper greeting. 

“Hey, (Y/N). Did I wake you?” Donatello's voice spoke from the other side of the line. You shrugged, before realizing that he couldn’t see your movements. 

“Don’t worry about it,” you responded. “What’s up?” 

“Okay, so when you leave, come straight here. Don’t stop anywhere, I have something I need to show you,” he said. The glee in his voice was obvious. You could almost imagine him running around the lab, energy forcing him to move. It wouldn’t be the first time. You laughed gently, agreeing to the command. You could practically see the smile on the other side of the line as he hung up. His final words of “see you at 8:30” rang in your head as you moved to get dressed for the day. 

You held tightly onto the ladder as you descended into the sewer. ‘This is a lot easier without a coffee in hand,” you thought. Although you had to admit, it sucked not having your daily dose of caffeine to guide you. 8:30 just wasn’t going to be enough time to get you to both the coffee shop and the turtles. “Oh well,” you thought. “One day won’t kill me.” You gave a gentle wave to Raph as you entered the lair. He was sprawled out under the heat lamps, basking in its comforting warmth. ‘They’re so human, it’s easy to forget that they’re just turtles,’ you thought. You absently wondered how they survive in the winter before coming to the conclusion of “more heat lamps.” Looking around, you sent Donnie a text asking where he was. His phone pinged in the kitchen, his arm reaching out to wave to you seconds later. Perplexed, you wandered towards the kitchen. And the sight you came upon was not one you were expecting. 

Donatello was sitting at the table, two coffees in hand. You sat down next to him, raising an eyebrow in question. 

“Okay, so remember a few weeks ago when you were talking about being homesick and stuff? And you mentioned Dutchies, and how you really missed it?” He waved his hand around as he spoke, waiting eagerly for your response. 

“Yeah, why?” 

“Alright so, we’ve been wanting to get an espresso machine for a while anyway, so I ended up looking up the recipes for the stuff you were talking about and I decided to make you a cup.” He spoke nonchalantly, eyes looking past you. He hunched his shoulders lightly before moving his hands under the table. Wait, was he embarrassed? You smiled, a faint blush working its way to the tips of your ears. He planned this. He made this for you. You couldn’t help but feel a little giddy at the sweet gesture. 

“Thank you, Donnie, that’s super sweet of you,” you smiled. He smiled back at you, tension fading from his shoulders. He sighed gently before responding: 

“Yeah, no problem.” 


	6. Dr. Delicate Touch - Michelangelo Imagine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Reader has just been accepted into an Arts college program and they think they're not worthy of it until Mikey assures them that they deserve to be in the program and that they are indeed an professionally artist. Please and Thank you ❤❤❤

College: A time full of wonder and exploration. For millions of people around the world, college was a gateway into the next chapter of their lives. You weren’t exempt from this statistic. When you got your acceptance letter, you were expecting a rush of euphoria to lift you off your feet; yet, the letter you had been praying for didn’t bring happiness.

You got accepted. And you felt… dread: overwhelming dread and fear rocked you to your core. 

Did you really deserve to go to art school? Honestly, why did they choose you? You flipped through your admissions portfolio, overanalyzing each picture. Mistake after mistake assaulted your eyes, tightening your chest and causing tears to spill over your cheeks. You wiped them away quickly, feeling guilty. You just got accepted to art college and you didn’t even want to go. This was your dream, wasn’t it? This should feel good, right? What’s wrong? Your thoughts were a flurry, assaulting you with any negative comment it could create. You hurt so much; yet, you felt so numb. Is this what it feels like to die? 

A soft tap from your window brought you out of your stupor. You reflexively wiped the remaining tears from your eyes before turning to glance at the window. You couldn’t tell if you were relieved or upset to see Mikey there. Your boyfriend waved frantically, pointing downwards to the lock that sealed your window shut. You stumbled over to let him in, still not quite attached to reality. You fumbled to detach the locking mechanism, idly wondering when you had locked it. You held your hand out to him after opening the window, pulling the turtle inside. 

“Thank God, I thought I was gonna freeze to death,” he said. His eyes danced around your face, quickly discerning your emotional state. “Hey,” he whispered, “what’s up?” You couldn’t help the whimper that clawed its way out of your throat. Just like that, the tears started overflowing once again. You crumpled in his arms as though crushed by the weight of your emotions. He quickly guided you to the bed, sitting you down and pulling you towards him in an embrace. His arms were strong, holding you as close to him as he could. You clung to him, unable to form any coherent words. He rocked you gently, dragging his hands along your back. You have no idea how long you stayed there. 15 minutes? An hour? Mikey’s gentle ministrations calmed you, silently coaxing you into relaxation. 

“I got accepted, but I don’t know why. I don’t think I’m good enough, and I’ve been thinking, maybe I just shouldn’t go. Maybe someone more talented should take my place,” you hiccuped intermittently as you spoke. You went to continue your thought before feeling a firm weight on your shoulders. Mikey pulled you away from him, angling his head so that he could be eye-level with you. 

“Listen to me, (Y/N). You’re the most talented artist I know, and they wouldn’t have accepted you if you were just some mediocre hobbyist. You’re going there because you have talent. You’ve worked hard on this, and I’m not gonna let you get down on yourself. You’re choking up because it’s a lot of pressure. That's okay! Just, don’t let that anxiety fuck you up, hun. You’re already a great artist, and the admissions officers? They know that. They want you to go to their school so they can brag about you in the future,” he smiled at the end of his sentence, trying to get you to smile. You curved your lips slightly at his words. Your boyfriend could make a joke out of anything, huh? 

“I’m serious though. You’re gonna do great there, babe. You totally deserve this, and I can’t even describe how proud I am. You’re gonna learn so much, and if I had the money, I’d bet you could out-artist 80% of the people there already.” 

You couldn’t help but laugh at his words. “What does ‘out-artist’ even mean?” you asked. 

‘I don’t know!” he laughed, “but you could totally do it!” 

You laugh gently before falling back into his plastron. He cards his hands through your hair gently, making sure to avoid any stray knots. 

“You good?” 

“Yeah, I think I’ll be okay. Thank you for all the reassurance, _Dr. Delicate Touch._ ” 

“Oh please, I have the best approach!” he feigns hurt at your sass before devolving into a laugh of his own. “Seriously though, I could have been so much more stern with you. Is that the right word? Whatever. Come on, let’s go back to the lair. We’re celebratin’ tonight!” 


	7. Insecure! S/O: Donatello

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Hi!! Do you mind doing either headcanons or a scenario ( whichever you prefer ) with Donnie x shy / insecure reader ? I really like him, I love he’s a dork and I think we would get along well! But honestly I can see him being happy with so many other self shippers / tmnt Acc here but whenever I picture myself with him I get very upset? Like I feel I’m not smart enough or pretty enough for him and honestly my self esteem has been really down BC of it :( could you do smth about it? Thank you

  * He may seem confident, but he truly understands your insecurity. The shyness, however, is new to him. He uses a pseudo-confidence to mask his insecurities, so your naturally introverted nature? It’s interesting!
  * Not to mention, he’s only ever been around extroverted, social people. Have you seen his brothers? He has to be confident if he wants to keep up: snark is absolutely a defense mechanism for him.
  * He’s a great partner once you confide in him about your insecurities! He isn’t the most gentle turtle in the world, but he’s honest. Blunt, even. Perhaps that honesty is why you appreciate him so much! You know that every single compliment he gives you is honest and from the heart. He won’t ever lie to you to boost your ego. Instead, he’ll _genuinely_ tell you what he likes about you. It’s comforting to know that he means what he says. 
  * He tells you he’s proud of you quite often. Before you, nobody had ever really told him that they were proud of him. You bring so much light to his life; as such, he wants to bring the same amount of joy and love to _your_ life.
  * He’s always willing to listen to you vent about your insecurities. He isn’t always sure when to jump in, so he just listens for the most part. If it’s just venting, he’ll jump in at the end of your rant to reassure you. 
  * However, if you’re beating yourself up too much, he’ll cut you off. There’s a fine line between venting and self-deprecation, and he’s unnervingly familiar with that line. He’s not gonna let you stew in self-deprecation. 
  * Donatello is very blunt: we all know this. If other people tread too far into topics you’re sensitive about, he won’t hesitate to cut them off, either. He’s scarily good at tailoring insults to people. 
  * At the beginning of your relationship, you may mistake him for being cold. He doesn’t mean to be, he’s just inexperienced. He doesn’t know when to hold you or be gentle. It’s all really new territory to him! It kind of hurts, but if you bring it up with him, he’ll make changes. He doesn’t want to make you uncomfortable, so he holds back his emotions a lot. But knowing that you want him to show his feelings? He’s excited! 
  * Likes to send you photos of pretty things that remind him of you! He’ll always attach the caption of “It’s you.” along with it. It’s very sweet. It’s a small action, but a meaningful one. 
  * He will _absolutely_ tell people to shut up if they’re talking over you. He isn’t gonna take that shit. You’re quiet, but that doesn’t mean your words aren’t important! 
  * He’s a strong believer in all forms of intelligence. He’s very cocky about his own intelligence, but that doesn’t mean he can’t appreciate other forms! If you’re not a STEM person, that’s okay! He still recognizes your talent and brilliance in other subjects, and he won’t hesitate to remind you of it. You’re brilliant in your own way, even if you can’t see it yourself. 
  * He thinks your shyness is kind of cute! He knows it makes your life difficult sometimes, but he can’t help but fawn. The way your eyes flit around as you try and work up the courage to ask for something is particularly endearing to him. He’s gotten very good at reading you. 
  * He literally doesn’t care about physical appearance. He thinks human bodies are fascinating! He doesn’t understand why you get so upset about certain aspects of yourself. Scars, acne, fat, bone structure, everything: he thinks it’s all really cool! He’s a turtle, he doesn’t get what parts of humans are and aren’t conventionally attractive. 
  * He’s a good boyfriend, he really is. He tries his best to remind you of all of your talents and good qualities, and he won’t ever hesitate to stick up for you. He’s learned how to read you very well, and he’s always here for you. 
  * He chose you because you’re, well, you! He wouldn’t choose anyone else: in fact, he’s surprised that you chose him! He knows he has a lot of faults, and you love him anyways. He feels so lucky to call you his partner.




	8. Touch Staved! S/O - Leonardo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Leo with a touch starved reader perhaps 👀

  * Touch is one of his love languages!! He’s ALWAYS here for physical affection!!
  * It’s actually kind of overwhelming, at first. He’s always pulling you closer to him, or holding you in some way, which is a huge change from what you’re used to. It’s very 0-100. 
  * He was touch-heavy even before you two started dating: it just increases now that you’re officially a couple. 
  * He’s fueled by your flustered reactions. The way you jump as he places his arm around your shoulder, or the way you blush as he pulls you closer to him is _heavenly_. It makes his ego soar through the roof as well.
  * (As though it wasn’t big enough already.) 
  * He’s elated if you’re the “clingy touch-starved” type. He’s the exact same way!! It’s like an endless loop of giving and receiving affection. 
  * His favourite thing is cuddling. He’s coldblooded! You’re like his main heat source: why use the heat lamps in the morning if he can just cuddle with you?
  * If you’re the type that needs to warm-up to physical affection, that’s okay too! He’ll be a little confused at first, but he’ll hold back a little so he doesn’t overwhelm you. He’d give anything to hold you in his arms 24/7, but he wants you to enjoy the experience too. Touch is useless if both parties aren’t enjoying it. 
  * He’s a really good boyfriend to have if you’re touch-starved! He’s the exact same way, but he isn’t afraid to initiate it. He loves to be touching you in any way, shape, or form! He’s clingy, to say the least; however, he doesn’t mind holding back a little if it makes you more comfortable! He’ll ease you in slowly, if that’s what you need. He just wants you to be happy.




	9. Cute - Leonardo Imagine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Hi is it ok if you could do a Leo x reader where they are teasing with each other and the reader accidentally calls Leo ‘cute’ please?

**_“Mileena Wins”_ **

A groan worked its way out of the turtle’s throat, setting down his controller once more. He threw his head over the edge of the couch, placing his hands over his face before screaming into them. You laughed wildly in response, elated at yet another victory. How many times have you won now? 10 times? 15, even? You looked back at the screen momentarily, looking at the winner’s screen. 

“What was that you said about kicking my ass?” you teased. You tilted your head to look at him once more, only to catch him looking at you already. You gave him a smile, somewhat caught off-guard.

“Mileena is such a broken character dude, that isn’t fair.” He smiled, twitching his snout lightly. He leaned forward from the couch, tilting his head to look at you. 

“Scorpion is even more broken! Inner flames gives Scorpion _the most_ combo potential in the game, you just don’t know how to use it.” 

“Rematch me dude, I’ll win this time: watch me. You can’t use Mileena, though.” 

You looked at him incredulously. “Absolutely not,” you scoffed, “She’s my _Queen_ , Leon.” 

“Am I not your Queen?” He feigned hurt, widening his eyes to amplify the pitiful response. He placed his hand on his chest, leaning away from you. ‘ _How dramatic_ ,” you thought. Although, you had to admit, it was kind of adorable Before you could stop yourself, you voiced your thoughts: 

“God, you’re so _cute_.” 

Your heart nearly stopped as the words left your mouth. A light blush worked its way to cover the tips of your ears as the game’s music played in the background. The longer the silence continued, the harder your heart began to beat within your chest. You were sure it’d leap out of your throat and land on the floor, considering how strong its beats were. You leaned further into the couch, embarrassed. ‘ _Did I really just say that outloud_?’ you thought. ‘ _Shit._ ’ 

You watched the screen, unable to look at his expression. Would he be upset? Does he feel awkward? Was he into it? You had no way of knowing, and perhaps you didn’t want to know. You stared at the screen, moving your thumbstick to select ‘rematch.’ 

“Oh my god, you’re so cute.” He chuckled gently, analyzing your features. The blush began to spread from your ears, moving to cover your cheeks. “Scratch that, you’re the cutest. Cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life, hands down. No Uno Reverse cards either, (Y/N).” He placed his head in his hand, moving to kick his legs up in your lap. He smiled deviously at you, clearly enjoying both your compliment and your flustered demeanor. 

“Leon?” 

“Hm?” 

“I’m still picking Mileena.”


	10. April O'Neil - Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crush for April O'Neil!

  * She’s such a sweetheart when she has a crush, honestly. And she gets them super easily, too! 
  * She’s a great flirt, but she just gets so flustered around you! 
  * For about a month straight she’s constantly blushing and tripping over her words around you. She gets more comfortable as time goes on, however! She still freaks out internally, but she gets better at hiding the butterflies. 
  * She’s the QUEEN of casual touching. A hand on your arm when she laughs, a head on your shoulder when she’s tired, etc. She’s super smooth about it. 
  * She loves to make you laugh! She loves it when you’re happy, and the fact that she’s the one causing it? She’s in heaven. 
  * (Yes, she absolutely tries to initiate tickle fights. Not only are you laughing, but _she gets to touch you, too!_ )
  * She absolutely gives you a lot of cute nicknames. Some of them are dorky, some are about experiences you’ve shared, and others are just plain sweet. 
  * She always makes time for you! Sheĺl drop whatever she’s doing just to text you back. That means a lot, considering how often she accidentally ghosts people. 
  * “Talking takes so much energy, you know? Like, am I really up for having a conversation right now, and I don’t know why I have t- (Y/N) TEXTED”
  * She’s so glad that you live just as weird of a life as she does. Normal is overrated, and she could never give up the life she lives now. 
  * You’re her biggest confidant, right next to Sunita. She trusts you so much, and she’s glad that you’re willing to listen to her. You’re interested in her life, and you care so much: how could she not fall in love? 
  * Chaotic duo? Chaotic duo! 
  * She sends you silly tiktoks she makes at 1am. You’re the only one who gets to see that crackhead energy. 
  * She sends you at least one meme per day. She just wants you to know she’s thinking about you! It’s also a very nice excuse to talk and joke around with you. 
  * She always brings you souvenirs from wherever she’s working that week. Sometimes it’s food, sometimes it’s flowers, or even little trinkets! She likes to give small, casual gifts. 
  * She confesses over text. She loves the idea of going out on some romantic adventure and confessing to you but honestly? She’s too nervous about getting rejected. If she does it over text and gets rejected, it’d be easier to cope with. There wouldn’t be any awkwardness, and she can process it on her own. 
  * Of course, you don’t reject her. Needless to say, she’s over the moon. 
  * When you admit to having the same feelings for her, she just holds her phone to her chest for a few seconds while she processes it. 
  * When it finally hits her, she can’t help but kick her legs and squeal a little bit. 
  * She’s!! So happy!!
  * When she finally gets all that happy energy out, she texts you back to schedule a date ASAP. She’s been waiting so long to tell you about this, and she just doesn’t wanna wait any longer! 



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the super long absence, everyone! Real life has been hectic as of late, and honestly, it still is. I'm going to try and keep posting though!   
> Thank you all for your patience, love, and support. <3


	11. Gears: Donatello Imagine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Donnie scenario where s/o is really good at giving gifts. They have a good memory of what their friends like? (Let’s get some cute Donnie over here).

“Goddamn it.” Donnie ran his hands over his face, sighing deeply. 

“What’s wrong today, Don?” Leo asked, almost sarcastically. He paused his game, turning to stare at his brother. Sure, his discontent wasn’t abnormal; however, they were brothers. It’d be easier to deal with the problem now, he supposed. Better than letting him stew in...whatever he was feeling. 

“Have you seen my helical gears? They’re cut at an angle? Round? Really pretty and symmetrical” 

“Have you checked the top drawer?” 

Donatello deadpanned: “Leo, I don’t even  _ have  _ a top drawer. That’s not how I organize.”

Leo shrugged in response, turning back to his game. He tried. 

Donnie sighed once more, placing his tools back on the desk. He pulled up his phone, preparing to scour ebay for the needed parts. He wasn’t going to the dump  _ again,  _ and he  _ certainly _ wasn’t going to use just any gear for his tech! What was he, a heathen? Absolutely not. There's no point in repairing his shell if it isn't going to run silently. 

Almost on queue, you walked into the lair. He raised his hand, waving you over. Some of the tension that plagued him disappeared, and he visibly relaxed. You walked over, smile on your face and backpack slung over your shoulders. He rolled the spare chair out from under the desk, giving you a seat next to him. 

“Hey, (Y/N,)” Leo called out. The other two called out shortly after, welcoming you into the lair. You had known them all for long enough that you didn't need to see them to be welcomed. You called out your respective greetings, settling down in your spot next to Donnie. You leaned gently on the table, careful not to disturb what he was working on. 

Donatello moved to rest his free arm around your shoulder, enjoying the body heat and company you provided. You leaned against him, welcoming the rare affection. You ran a hand over his exposed shell, fascinated. It wasn't often that he removed his battleshell like this. 

“What’s up?” you asked. “You seem stressed.” You spoke quietly, keeping your discussion between the two of you. 

“It’s nothing, I just ran out of something. It just sucks, cause I wanted to finish repairing my battle-shell tonight. I guess I’ll have to wait. It's fine though, that just means I won't have to go out tonight.” 

“Helicals?” you asked. "Is that what you're missing?" A coy smile teased its way onto your features, a playfulness twinkling in your eyes. You basked in the confusion that painted his expression. 

“How’d you know?” 

“You mentioned that you were running out. I figured you would forget,” You moved away from him reluctantly, pulling your backpack off your shoulders. Unzipping the small pocket, you pulled out a small package. “And like the  _ perfect  _ partner I am, I picked some up for you!” You smiled at him, waiting for his response. 

“Have I ever told you that I love you?” He smiled back at you eagerly, placing a chaste kiss to your temple. He squeezed your shoulder, taking the package out of your hands. He pulled your chair closer to his with his foot, eager to have you so close while he worked. He fumbled with a spare pen, struggling to open the package in his excited state. 

“Yeah, but you should totally tell me again.” 

_ 'He's so cute when he's excited.' _


	12. Your Best - Leonardo Imagine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Leo with a crush scenario where they boost his confidence, no preachiness, just casual, chill, they talk about their issues so Leo can relate, “I screw up sometimes too. But it’s ok we can both get better you know”? (Let’s get some cute Leo stuff)

“I mean, what’s even the point, you know?” Leo stared up at the ceiling, waving his hands lethargically. The beanbag encompassed his shell gracefully, allowing him to lay on his back without pain. “It’s like nothing I do even matters, unless I fuck something up. Then it’s just all...horrible. I feel like I can’t do anything right sometimes.” He sighed, bringing his arms down to cover his face. It was nice, being able to vent; yet, he couldn’t bring himself to feel okay. He was glad that you were willing to listen, but was this even the right thing to do? Would he drive you away with his insecurities? His thoughts ran through his head like lightning, despite his lazed, outward demeanor. 

You hummed lightly in response, waiting to see if he would continue. You stared calmly at him, watching his expression carefully. You spoke up once you realized he didn't want to elaborate:  “All things considered, you’re doing okay. We all make mistakes Leo, and that’s fine! We learn from them, we grow from them, and in a few months we’ll be able to laugh about ‘em. But you’ve never given up, and you’re still trying your best. At the end of the day, that’s all you can really do, you know?” you spoke softly. The words flowed freely out of your mouth, hardly thinking of what you were saying. 

“Yeah, but I feel like my best isn’t…” he paused, contemplating his word choice. 

“Good enough?” you finished.

“Yeah. That. Am I whining too much? Like, is this okay?” he spoke quickly, panic swimming beneath the surface of his words. He brought his hands together, picking at the dirt beneath his nails. 

You smiled at him gently, reassuring him. “This is what friends are for, Leon. If it means anything, I think your best is pretty damn good.” You leaned forward, placing your hand on his shoulder. He tensed briefly at the contact before relaxing into the warmth. He visibly decompressed, basking in the affection.    


“Thanks, (Y/N.)”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m always here for you.”


	13. Socks - April O'Neil Imagine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How would Turtles and April react to a stranger of hers giving her socks as a gift that says Let’s be friends?” On them? I found these socks in a store and if you’re socially awkward. It an ice breaker. I got curious. (The socks come in cats, ice creams, unicorns and black).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be following up with all of the turtles in the next chapters! I really love this prompt!

**April:**

You bounced your leg rapidly under your desk, glancing at the door sporadically. How long had it been 12:03 for? Logically, it couldn’t have been more than a minute; yet, it felt like years. Your chest felt tight as you looked inside of your bag, spying the socks you had bought the day before. You reached down, fiddling with the tag inside of the bag. 

‘Let’s be friends,’ it read. You read it over and over again, preparing to say the words out loud. You had never been good at icebreakers, or starting conversations. You took your hand away from the socks, careful not to mess up the appearance of the tag. 

The shrill noise of the bell echoed throughout the classroom, signaling the passing period. You jumped at the noise, adrenaline heightening your senses. 

‘This is it,’ you thought. ‘Today is the day I’m going to make friends with April O’Neil.’

And right on queue, she walked into the classroom, coffee in-hand. She smiled at you gently, raising two fingers away from her cup to wave at you. You waved back enthusiastically before waving her over. She walked over, curious. You grabbed the socks out of your back, catching your foot on your bag. You blushed at the clumsy action, trying to play it off. You held the package out to her, and she moved to place her cup down on your desk. She turned the item around, reading the top of the tag. She smiled as she read it, a quiet blush appearing beneath her skin. It was hard to spot, but it made you happy. 

“I never really know how to start conversations, but I found these and I thought of you! You seem really cool, and I’d love to be friends with you!” 

She smiled back at you giddily, moving to put her spare hand behind her head. She toyed with her hair, embarrassed yet flattered. She ran her thumb over the cats adorning the socks, feeling the soft cotton. 

“That’s so sweet of you! These are so adorable, oh my god.” She stumbled over her words, struggling to find the proper words to express her feelings. “Thank you so much! I’ve actually been wanting to talk to you too, but I’m so bad at starting conversations!”

You laughed, relieved. You were glad that she liked them! 

“Do you wanna hang out this weekend?” 


	14. Socks - Leonardo Imagine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Socks prompt, but for Leo this time! More turtles coming soon!

You drum your fingers along the hard wood of the table, nervously glancing at the door. ‘Today is the day,’ you think, ‘today is the day I’m going to make friends with that blue turtle.’ You didn’t know his name, but you’ve seen him inside Run of the Mill hundreds of times before, and he had always stood out to you. His energetic, confident demeanor was something you greatly admired, and you really wanted to befriend him! Unfortunately, you’ve never been good at approaching people. Starting conversations is particularly hard for you, especially in situations where it isn’t explicitly encouraged. What would you even talk about? How do you start a conversation with someone you know  _ nothing  _ about? 

Fortunately, that’s why you have the socks. You take the pair out of your bag, admiring your handiwork once again. You had found them in a small shop last weekend, and you couldn’t help but buy a few pairs. The tag read “let’s be friends!” in cute, scrawled handwriting. You had chosen the unicorn pair for him after about 10 minutes of internal debate. You figured he would be the type to appreciate the cute animals. You had even put in the work to sew the toes together so that they would fit him! You ran your thumb over the stitching proudly. You momentarily worried about whether the gift would be too much, but you shoved the thought down. He would appreciate them, right? He seems kind enough. You place the socks back on the seat next to you before turning back to gaze at the door again. You mindlessly pick at your pizza, eating small pieces intermittently. You hoped he would arrive soon, before you got too anxious and left.

Luckily, he walked in not long after you spoke. He had the rest of his brothers with him, and they were all looking around for a place to sit. You waved your hand at him excitedly, ushering them all over to your table. A few of the brothers whispered to each other conspiratorially, but they walked over nonetheless. The blue one nodded the rest of his brothers along, leading the rest over. You gratefully relaxed, glad that he was willing to sit with you. 

“Hey, thanks! This place is so packed today, it’s ridiculous,” he said, sliding into the booth. “I’m Leo, and these are my less cool brothers.” 

You laughed lightly before introducing yourself as well. Needless to say, the night  was really fun! Many jokes were traded, and you got to know everyone fairly well! At the end of the night you offered to pay the bill, much to the turtles' relief. You walked out together as a group, appreciative of the new company. You traded phone numbers to keep in contact with one another, everyone excited to have a new friend. 

As they were walking away, you remembered what you had initially set out to do. You reach out your hand towards Leo:  “Oh, hey! I completely forgot, I brought something for you guys. You guys are always in there, and I really wanted to get to know you guys!” You reach into your bag, rooting around for the assorted gifts. You had bought gifts for all of them, actually. But you were looking for Leonardo’s reaction in particular. You handed out everyone’s gifts, eagerly awaiting everyone's reaction. You give Leo his last, wanting to see his reaction in full. 

“I figured this would be a good conversation starter, but I guess I gave them a little late, huh?” You joked lightly. 

“Oh my god, these are so fucking cute.” He gasps before smiling widely, turning around to show his brothers. “I got the best gift, hands down.” He moves to embrace you in a half hug before thanking you again. He stays in the casual embrace, much to your embarrassment. 

“Where did you even get these?” Donatello asks. 

“Oh, you know. I found ‘em at a little bookstore, and I just cut and sewed the toes so they’d like, actually fit. Don't think human socks would fit too well to be completely honest.” 

“Alright, that’s it, we’re officially friends. You can’t back out now, it’s too late.” 

Donatello groans, “You missed your chance to run, (Y/N). You’re stuck with him now. Welcome to our suffering.” 

You can't tell if he's serious or not, but you can’t help but laugh. Being stuck with him doesn’t sound too bad. 


	15. Socks - Raphael Imagine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Socks for Raphael!

It’s hard to shop for someone you don’t know: this is a universal sentiment that everyone can agree on. But most people don’t know how hard it is to shop for a giant, mutated turtle that you don’t know. You know that pain, however. 

Last week, you got a new visitor to your animal shelter. Your work involves taking care of various cryptids that have been endangered by modern society. Many of them are now unable to fend for themselves without the aid of mutants or yokai due to the inherently fearful nature of modern humans. You don’t get many customers anymore, as so many mutants have been forced into a state of survival themselves. You do get some, however. You know most of them by name, and they provide a very valuable source of love and care for the animals you take care of. And recently, there’s been a newcomer. He’s unlike any cryptid you’ve ever seen before, so you can only assume he’s a man-made mutant. Towering at just above seven feet tall, the turtle is certainly imposing. Yet, he’s always been incredibly sweet to the cryptids you’ve grown to love. The delicacy of his actions warms your heart, and you often find yourself wandering towards him. Yet, you’re unable to interact with him enough to get to know him. Your duties as the main staffer, coupled with your debilitating awkwardness, has rendered all of your attempts to talk to him to come to a quick end. 

But you found the perfect gift for him. Considering his size, it wasn’t an easy feat; however, you managed. The gift itself is an XXXL pair of cat socks, and you sewed the toes in a fashion that would accommodate for his...less than human feet. The label reads “Let’s be Friends,” in scrawled, cursive writing. The cats adorning the socks are what drew you to them, considering his interest in the felines within your shelter. The noise of the door brings you out of your thoughts, and you immediately spy the object of your attention. You place one more kiss on the Jiao’s head before standing up, waving at the large turtle. He waves back at you as usual; however, this time you leave the room to greet him.

You walk hastily out of the Jiao’s room, making your way towards the large turtle. He shuffles on his feet, as though surprised by your eagerness. You blush, embarrassed by your own excitement. 

“Sorry, I didn’t startle you, did I?” you ask. 

“Oh no, it’s all good dude. What’s up?”

“Hey, so, uh,” you stammer, “I see you in here all the time now, and I kind of wanted to get to know you better!” You walk behind your desk, nodding him over. He follows you, excited to see what you had to offer. You open your desk, pulling out his gift and holding it out for him to take. He takes the socks out of your hand gingerly, as though he were afraid of breaking them. He turns them around gently before reading the front. If you felt any trepidation before, it melted away once you see him smile at the sweet gift. You search his face, waiting for a response. 

“I’d love to be friends! I was actually kind of nervous about talking to you too, you seem so professional and put together. I just didn’t wanna bother you,” he smiles. 

You laugh gently, happy that the feeling was mutual: “Wanna hang out this weekend?”


	16. Socks - Michelangelo Imagine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Socks for Michelangelo!

When people think of underground businesses, illegal and dangerous activity is usually one’s first thought. Human trade, drugs, and illegal technology are usually mentioned when discussing underground business. Of course, that’s how humans perceive it. Your business, however, is as harmless as candy. Literally. 

You run a small candy shop in the Hidden City, selling sweet delicacies to anyone who will enter. The friendly, happy atmosphere leads many mutants and yokai to become long-term customers; in fact, you’ve become great friends with many of your customers! You aren’t a social goddex by any means, but the lively nature of a candy shop starts a lot of conversations! Often times, people will talk to you of their own volition; as such, you never have to initiate friendships! It’s nice when other people approach you, honestly. However, there’s one person you’ve been meaning to get to know. 

Box turtles are rare customers. In fact, this is the first one you’ve ever met! Excitable and happy, this turtle has become a regular customer to your quaint little shop. Unfortunately, you’ve never been able to catch his name. Or number. You’re never quite sure when to ask for his name, or if it would even be appropriate to ask. He never ventures beyond the casual greetings and small talk either: had it not been for his happy demeanor, you may have been put off by his lack of engagement. Fortunately, you think you’ve found the perfect conversation starter. 

Candy doesn’t keep a business going on its own. You sell a lot of other supplemental items as well, such as art supplies, plushies, and most importantly, trinket clothing. You spare a quick glance at the socks on the chair beside you, waiting for the turtle to arrive. The socks were adorned with small cats, and the packaging had “Let’s be Friends!” scrawled in delicate, cursive writing. You planned to give it to the turtle as a free gift, hoping that he would understand the subtext. You flipped through your phone idly, changing the music within the shop. You bounce your leg under the table, simultaneously excited and nervous for his arrival. 

19:04 ticks away, and right on queue, he enters the shop. He always shows up at the same time, of course. It was like his routine! He flashes you a bright smile before turning to find his goods. You smile back, giving a light wave. You sneak a glance at him from your spot, happy to find him bouncing his head to the music. ‘All good so far,” you think to yourself. You turn back to your phone, not wanting to appear creepy. You didn’t think he’d take it that way, of course, but anxiety always gets the best of you. 

You look up once you hear footsteps walk your way. He’s holding the same bag of candy and the same bundle of spray paint. You pull your chair up closer to the counter, giving him a shy smile. 

“Did you find everything okay?” 

“Yeah. How’s your day going?” 

“It’s going pretty good! Excited to go home tonight, I’ve got a show I’m catching up on.” you make idle small talk as you scan his items. Feeling a little daring, you continue the conversation: “It’s nice to see you though. I always see you in here, you’re like part of my routine now!” Your hands shake a little bit, and you hope you were still within the lines of professionality. 

“Aww, that’s so sweet!” He coos. He twitches his nose a little bit, seemingly flattered. “It’s nice seeing you too!” 

You decompress and you finish scanning his items. He moves to pay, and you accept it. 

“See ya same time on Tuesday?” he jokes. You laugh back, confirming. He moves to pick up his bags, and you interject.   
“Oh, I actually had something for you!” you move to pick up the socks, handing them over. He drops his bags, happily moving to turn the socks around. He looks at the toes, perfectly sewed to accommodate his less-than-human feet. He gasps a little overdramatically, and he coos once he reads the writing. He practically launches himself over the counter to encapsulate you in a half-hug, overjoyed at the sweetness. 

“Awww! Thank you so much dude, I love them. And I can actually wear them too! I can see why you run a candy shop now: you’re too sweet!” 

You laugh at the joke, moving a single arm around him to return the hug. You scold him for the cheesiness of the joke. 

“So can I throw my number in your phone? Or will that mess up the music?” 


	17. Transparent - Donatello

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How would Donnie react to a developing crush, where they can basically see through him and his repressed feelings, “I knew you were really nice deep down *giggles*” They’re not making fun of him. Genuinely happy?

  * He’s...conflicted.
  * On one hand, he’s happy that you aren’t misinterpreting how he’s feeling! He has a lot of difficulty expressing feelings that could leave him vulnerable. A lot of people tend to interpret his sarcasm and wit as coldness, which he doesn’t necessarily intend. Not all the time, anyways. So he’s happy that doesn’t drive you away! 
  * It’s really easy to talk to you, and he loves that so much. In fact, that’s part of what drew him to you! 
  * On the other hand, he’s so nervous that you’re gonna figure out how he feels after he starts developing feelings. 
  * He’s an overthinker at the best of times, but somehow he gets even worse after he starts crushing. 
  * He overthinks everything he says to try and keep his feelings a secret, but then he starts fidgeting with his claws because he’s thinking too much . 
  * He thinks you _know_ everytime he speaks. 
  * He’ll watch intently, but discreetly, for your reaction. Do you know? Do you not? Do you know and feel the same? Do you know and just aren’t saying anything because you don’t want to make it awkward? 
  * He’s a mess. 
  * He gets so flustered when you call him nice, too. He’s a little embarrassed that you can see past his bad boy front that he’s worked so hard to build. 
  * But with the way your eyes get all soft when you look at him, complimenting him…
  * He starts doing more, kind little actions for you. 
  * To outsiders, it doesn’t look like much. 
  * Fixing your phone here and there, making you a cup of coffee when he goes to get his own, making your stuff first when making things for the team…
  * Nobody else would understand the weight behind these actions...but you do. 



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!  
> It’s been a really long time, hasn’t it? I've been dealing with a lot of stuff in real life...trying to figure out who I am, what my sexuality is, college, etc. Plus the whole, you know... worldwide pandemic. Seriously, that last one was the weirdest fucking curveball for humanity. Out of everything that could have happened, I think that was the last thing on my "expected" list. But I'm happy to announce that I'm back for good! For the first time in a long time, I feel happy. I know who I am now, and I love myself. <3  
> Send in your requests again, because I'm here to stay! I'm so excited to interact with you all again!   
> Much love,   
> Spades


	18. Die-Cut Wrench: Donatello Imagine

You close your eyes, resting your head against the palm of your hand. The soundtrack to  _ Wicked  _ plays softly in the lab: a guilty pleasure that Donnie’s only ever shared with you. He hums along to the cynical and defeated words of Elphaba as he clinks around on the table, presumably searching for something. He pauses his humming, and you open your eyes to spy him rustling through the drawers of the metal table. 

“Sigh,” he mutters. He rolls around a handful of bolts in the palm of his hand, running his claws along the grooves. He pulls his goggles up and off his eyes, momentarily blinking at the bright lights of the lab. He shifts one into the opposite hand, holding it up to the light before repeating his phrase from earlier. 

You chuckle. “Looking for something, D?” 

He rolls his eyes towards you as a sly grin forms on his face. “Wanna do me a huge favor?” 

“I’m not making you another coffee, you still have some left.” 

“Scoff,” he says, “you think so little of me. Really, I’m disappointed,” he feigns. You chuckle again at his echoisms, and he smiles. “No, I was actually gonna ask you to rethread these for me. If you’re gonna be in here, you might as well help out.” He holds up the bolts and they twinkle in the neon lighting of the lab. 

You stand up, cracking your fingers to reinvigorate them once again. “You’re working me to the bone, Don,” you retort sarcastically. “What’s wrong with them?” You rummage through the drawers to try and find the die-wrench, and Donnie interrupts you to point towards the vice. You hum and work your way over to the machine. It’s the least you can do, really. He doesn’t let anyone else in, and it’s nice to be able to help out where you can. Plus, you’re pretty sure he’s taught you more than any college professor ever has. 

“The edges are rolled, and I don’t trust that. It’s just going to the tie rod, so it’s not like it’s gonna break everything, but come on!” He throws his hands up, “It’s such a simple fix! Who would throw out broken parts that can be fixed so easily?” He moves the current project away to focus on a different one, biding his time quietly. He flips his goggles back down, grabbing the nearest open-ended wrench to fasten a few nuts in the project. 

“Well, if they didn’t throw perfectly good stuff away, you wouldn’t have anything to work with.” You twist the die-wrench around the bolt, muttering under your breath to count the turns. 

He hums, moving his head from side-to side, “I’m not saying you’re right, but I guess you do have a point. You should start buying me stuff instead.” 

“And give up fixing your broken parts? Absolutely not. What else would I do while I'm here?” you joke. 

“I could always teach you about wiring.”

You pause. That’s a pretty good offer. “Maybe I’ll stop at Home Depot when I get my next paycheck.” 

He pauses his own actions to pump a single fist, hissing out a quiet “yes!” 

Dork. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> theater kid donnie......... i fell even deeper in LOVE with this man and his dorky singing and dancing in the snow day episode


	19. Unicorn Onesie - Leonardo Imagine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Leo with a s/o who finally gets him a unicorn onesie?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warnings: Swearing, stupid unicorn puns that will make you want to commit a felony, and Leo being adorable 

  * He’s so excited! Be prepared for a bone-crushing hug the second he unwraps the gift. 
  * He puts it on immediately with this giddy little laugh. His fingers keep slipping on the buttons because he’s so excited! Ninja training? Coordination? Who’s she? 
  * Please tell him you’ve got one for yourself too! (You did, absolutely.) 
  * You guys become the Unicorn Council. (He originally suggested Unicorn Gang.) 
  * Movie nights & game nights are now run by the Unicorn Council. Who can argue with matching unicorns? You’re just too powerful as a duo. 



Donatello throws his head back over the couch, groaning audibly into his hands. “Come on guys, really? Borderlands? Again?” 

Mikey kicks his legs over the armrest, humming loudly. “For real! This is like, the third week in a row! Overcooked has been sitting there all alone for months, why don’t we switch it up? Do you wanna make it cry? Is that what you guys want?” 

“It’s up to you guys,” Raph shrugs, clearly trying to avoid confrontation. You smile at his noncommittal response and turn to Leo. Your grin widens once you meet his eyes, and he returns the expression. 

“Well-” he starts. 

“Jesus fucking christ, I hate it here,” Donatello mutters. 

“Well!” Leo raises his voice, “I suppose it is once again up to the Unicorn Council to decide the fate of game night!” He drapes himself across your lap, swinging his left arm up into the air dramatically. “Oh (Y/N), how will we decide this time?” 

You lean your arms against his plastron, and your hood accidentally flips over your head. Oh well, it just enunciates the point better, you suppose. “I don’t know, Leo. Truly, we carry such a burden as councilmembers. Where would society be without us?” 

“I’m in hell,” Donatello whispers, “I’m literally in Hell.” 

You choke back a laugh, instead settling with a quiet giggle. “Why-” you stumble, “Why the long face, Don?” 

The rest of the room groans, save for Leonardo who guffaws. He runs his hands over his face quickly before revealing his sparkling eyes and bright grin: “Really, Don, if you really want to say ‘neigh’ to our input, you should get your own uni-form and join the council.” 

“You’re a bad influence on (Y/N),” Michelangelo groans, “Just grab Borderlands already.” 

“Glad you’re accepting your new rulers so well!” 

  * Prepared to receive an excel spreadsheet of unicorn puns and one liners. Feel honored: he never shares his one-liners in written form! However, some sacrifices must be made to assert unicorn dominance. 
  * For real though, he’s so happy. I mean he loves unicorns with all of his heart, but the same goes for you! Combine the two loves of his life, and you’ve got the happiest turtle in the world. 
  * He always wears it to movie nights, and his heart swells when you do the same. He’s really happy that you two can be so dorky and comfy together! 
  * Every now and then he’ll find a cute photo of a unicorn and send it to you with the caption of “us <3” or “us lmao” 
  * He’s a sweetheart. 




	20. Quantum Mechanics - Donatello Imagine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: The “Hi is it ok if you could do a Leo x reader where they are teasing with each other and the reader accidentally calls Leo ‘cute’ please?” Was SO CUTE!!! Could you do with the other turtles? And the reader also getting very flustered about voicing their thoughts out aloud? Thank you!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warnings: Swearing, tooth-rotting sweetness, and Donatello being the hyper-genius he is.

“How far out are you? Will you be here soon?” Donatello talks at a mile a minute as you trot down the halls of New York’s sewers. You laugh at his excitement and pick up your pace. Donatello recently had a breakthrough in one of his design ideas, and who better to explain it to? You’re one of the only people that truly listens to him when he talks about his tech. Sure, you might not understand everything on the level that he does, but you make an effort to listen and understand. And quite frankly, that’s a lot more effort than others put in. 

You shift the phone in your hand as you start to jog across the wet cement. Your steps echo loudly through the halls of the sewer, and you praise yourself for buying non slip boots. “I promise, D, I’m moving as fast as I can. I’m maybe...two minutes out?”

“I’m timing you.” 

“You’re ridiculous,” you laugh. Your hand scrapes along the wall as you sprint around the corner, fueled by Donnie’s excitement. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t excited to see what he had to show you. Or rather, you were excited to see him. You love the way his eyes light up as he explains to you his pride and joy of the evening. It’s an infrequent sight, to see him so ecstatic and free. So of course, you don’t mind making midnight trips to the lair to see him. You hear the faint “beep” of your phone in your ear as you round the final corner, and you smile at Donatello from across the room as you slide into the lair. His smile shines so brightly despite his hunched and tired demeanor. He flexes his hands anxiously as you sprint towards him, slowing down once you catch up to him. You take a few deep breaths before looking up at him. “What’s my time?” you joke. 

“A minute thirty-eight.” He grins. He waves his phone in front of you before quickly pocketing it. He nods towards his lab, starting at a brisk pace. “So, do you want an explanation first? Or would you like to  _ experience  _ my genius?” 

You giggle, “I think I need an explanation to appreciate the true height of your accomplishment, Donatello.” Are you being a little sarcastic? Maybe. But he doesn’t need to know that. 

“You always know what to say,” he smiles. He waves his hands around as he walks, wrists bouncing back and forth happily. “So, you remember quantum, right?” 

You hum, “ Explains the behavior of matter and its interactions with energy on the smallest scale.” 

“You’re the only one who listens around here. Alright, so I finally started getting into quantum mechanics and computing, and that’s been like, my thing for the past few months. And I just made the biggest breakthrough. So, the elementary logic gates of a classical computer, other than the NOT gate, are not reversible, right? Thus, for instance, for an AND gate one cannot always recover the two input bits from the output bit; for example, if the output bit is 0…”

He keeps talking, and you try your absolute best to keep up. Although, you do get lost somewhere along the way. You suppose you can always ask for clarification later, once his high of discovery has died down. You absorb what you can, nodding occasionally to signify that you’re listening. His eyes shine so brightly as he looks down at his hands, words flying out of his mouth at a mile a minute. The bags under his eyes seem so deep, and you wonder how much sleep he’s been getting recently. He wasn’t kidding when he said that this has been his new obsession, huh? Although the raccoon circles have always been his trademark, in a way. You’ll have to spend more time in the lair, maybe make him a proper coffee. God knows he won’t sleep: he might as well be comfortable while he works. He wouldn’t mind your company, right? 

“So this is where we get into the fun part,  quantum _ physics _ . If you apply an outside force to two atoms, it can make them… it makes them entangled,” he pauses for a moment, as though flustered by his words. He blinks twice before continuing, although shakier than before, “and- and the second atom can take on the properties of the first atom. So if left alone, an atom will spin in all different directions. The very instant it is disturbed it chooses one spin, or one value; and at the same time, the second entangled atom will choose an opposite spin. This is what lets us know the value of the qubits without actually looking at them.”

Weird: why’d he slip up on that part? You make a mental note to tease him about it later. You lean against the wall and look at him. He sure has gotten tall. You flush a little bit as you gaze up at him: his features are so perfect. Defined, you correct yourself internally. Keep it under control, (Y/N). “So,” you interject, “ the state of the whole one-qubit...quantum memory...thingy can be manipulated by applying quantum logic gates, like how classical memory can be manipulated with classical logic gates, right? That’s how it works?” you summarize. You learn what you can, at least. 

He jumps, “yes, exactly!” 

“And the big issue with quantum computers is about removing...quantum decoherence? So you have to isolate the system from its environment?”

He whips around from his position facing you, instead turning to the keypad of his laboratory. After last month’s debacle, he finally decided to install an actual safeguard for his lab. He punches in the codes to his laboratory with shaky hands, “I’m so glad someone actually listens around here.” He messes up the code, and he growls quietly as he bends down to look at the keypad better. He rubs his eyes harshly after squinting at the tiny numbers, and you smile softly.

You chuckle, “So basically… you made a super fast computer? Are we gonna take over Google?”

“Oh absolutely,” the door opens with a hiss, “Pichai will be  _ begging  _ me for a job once we take over.”

There it is again: we. You smile, but neglect to mention the word. “Ooo,” you coo, “On a last name basis with Mr. Sundar? I think he should get his resume in early, you own him alre-” you gasp at the gargantuan structure before you, silly comment long forgotten. “Holy shit, Donatello.” 

You jump as he puts his hands on your shoulders, startled by the sudden contact. You want to look him in the eyes, to ask him how he could have built this but...your eyes remain glued to the shining structure. It glows purple in the neon lighting of the lab, and you swear this is something you could have seen in a sci-fi movie. “Right?” he mutters. Shivers run down your spine at the uncharacteristic, whispered baritone of y our best friend. You feel a rush of blood surge throughout your body, making you uncomfortably hot. You thank the universe that he can’t see you blush. Why is he leaning down so close? You’re not uncomfortable with it, no, but gods above, does he know what he’s doing to you right now? 

“...superconducting qubits. Tomorrow morning I’ll be putting it into the dilution fridge. And it’ll be done. It’s perfect, isn’t it?” You look up at him, dazed. His hands remain in their place on your shoulders: they give off no heat, presumably because of his cold blood. Yet, you find so much comfort in them. You hesitantly move one hand up to hold one in place, and he turns down to you with the brightest, purest grin. He’s not cocky: he’s proud. 

“ _ You’re perfect.”  _

_ Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck  _

“I’m, wait hold on I’m mincing my words all up, hold on-” you stammer, “I just, I love how passionate you are? You’re so cute when you’re happy and wait hold on, no-”

He squeezes your shoulders, sighing quietly. You stop talking as your breath gets caught in your throat. He smiles. “You’re cute when you’re flustered.” His eyes widen as though alarmed by his own voice, and he sucks in a breath quickly: “Wait a minute-” 

You laugh, “Alright, we’re even! We can’t tease each other about this!” 

“Deal.” 

You’ll talk about this another day: perhaps when you’re both rested. Or maybe, it’ll come up again on it’s own. But for now, this is enough. 

You don’t let go of his hand. And he doesn’t pull away. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi my name is spades and i just spent so much time researching quantum mechanics and quantum computing so i could write accurate fanfiction about a TURTLE. and i didn't even use half of my research smh   
> [THIS WAS SO FUN I CAN'T WAIT TO WRITE FOR EVERYONE ELSE WWWW]


	21. Cuddles - [All 4 Turtles, Non-Poly]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Hi I really like you writes! keep up the good work, I was wondering if you could do a rottmnt cuddle Imagines? If that's fine?

Raphael: 

  * He loves to cuddle! But...he’s nervous. He doesn’t want to prick you with one of his spikes, or...worse. With his brothers, it’s different! They’ve got hard shells and plastrons, but you’re so... squishy! What if he hurts you? 
  * He gets so happy about casual touch. Putting you on his shoulders? Throwing his arm around your shoulders? Affectionate hair ruffle? He’s the physical embodiment of :) 
  * If you want full cuddles, though, you’re gonna have to be the one to initiate it the first few times. He’s just too nervous, otherwise. 
  * Rest your head on his plastron when you’re watching a movie and he’ll melt. 
  * Seeing how your arms maneuver around his spikes to embrace him, how gingerly you hold him...Maybe it’s possible. Maybe you two _can_ cuddle without getting any boo boos. 
  * He can’t really lay on his back because of his spikes. He’ll either get stuck that way when his spikes inevitably get embedded into the material, or he’ll shred up whatever he’s laying on. 
  * (He’s banned from the beanbag chairs.)
  * He wants to be the little spoon so bad, but it’s physically impossible. He’s forever bound to big spoon duty. He’s okay with that, though. 
  * (One time you showed up wrapped in mattress foam and bubble wrap to try and be the big spoon. It's a very fond memory, even if you were padded too stiffly to actually hold him.) 
  * He likes to rest his head in your lap. Run your nails along his head or shell and he’ll be asleep in no time. 
  * He won’t lay on your stomach or chest though. He really wants to, but he’s afraid he’ll crush you. There’s no debate with that topic, unfortunately. 
  * He’s such a good big spoon!! He’s so strong, and he cradles you like you’re the entire world. Because you are!
  * He likes to rest one hand on your stomach and tangle his other hand with yours. It’s so cool to look down and see how his spikes cradle you. Almost as though you were a treasure encased in barbed wire, protected from the outside world. 
  * You always feel so safe when you cuddle. I mean, it’s hard not to when you’re cocooned in 1000lbs of muscle and spikes!
  * His hold is firm, but noticeably gentle. 
  * He runs pretty warm, compared to the rest of the turtles. Great in the winter time, not so great in the summer. 
  * He traces little doodles on the back of your hand. You can never tell what they are, though. And he won’t tell you what they are, if you ask. 
  * (They’re dogs.) 
  * He’s not coldblooded, due to the way he was mutated. As such, he doesn’t really have any issues regulating his body temperature. He does find himself seeking out heat sources, however! Donnie calls it a vestigial response. Raph absolutely does not care about no scientific names or explanations: he just knows that he likes to sit under the heat lamp in the morning! Prepare to be his next heat lamp. 
  * If you come over in the mornings, prepare to be greeted with a very sleepy Raph the instant your feet hit the lair concrete. 
  * He’s never on his phone when you cuddle. 
  * He is a talker, though. He doesn’t quite whisper, but he definitely invokes the gentle voice. 
  * He falls asleep very quickly if he doesn’t keep himself talking. Your presence is just so calming to him, he can’t help it! 
  * He’s a very deep breather, and it’s really calming to listen to! Unfortunately, he starts to snore about 15 minutes after he falls asleep. And he’s loud. 
  * You’ll get used to it, eventually. 



  
  


Donatello 

  * He doesn’t sleep consistently, so full cuddle sessions are far and few between.
  * He read that fake rumor that Albert Einstein only slept for five hours a year: while it’s since been debunked, it’s stuck with him. He started training himself when he was little to power nap instead, and now it’s hard for him to get out of the habit. 
  * But..you’re a good motivator. 
  * He’s a little nervous around the concept of cuddling, at first. He’s very touch-starved, and once you warm him up to the idea, it’ll be hard to pull him off you! But he’s incredibly nervous about it at first. 
  * It’s...intimate, you know? He’s vulnerable, and that freaks him out. 
  * His shell is super sensitive. Partially because it’s soft, but wearing his battle shell all the time has removed a lot of stimuli that would have made it less sensitive. 
  * He reflexively rolls his shoulders when you run your hands along his exposed shell. At least, for the first few times. If you do it enough, it’ll quickly become a way for him to relax. 
  * Likes to pull you to his chest and hold you like that. He usually has your head under his chin so he can scroll through his phone while you cuddle. He doesn’t move his arms much though, so it’s okay. 
  * (He also likes it when you’re facing him so he can steal glances at you once you fall asleep. He thinks you’re even prettier when you’re completely relaxed.) 
  * You’ll rarely see it for yourself, but his eyes get all soft while you’re cuddling together. The quietest, calmest smile graces his features when you’re in his arms. 
  * However, you do notice how all the tension fades from his body, and how his breathing seems to slow down. 
  * He’ll run his free hand along your back every now and then, pressing a quiet kiss to the top of your head. 
  * He runs fairly cold, which is awesome in the summertime. He always lets you borrow his hoodies when you cuddle. If you ask nicely, he’ll let you keep ‘em, just so long as he has one or two in the closet. 
  * His bed has super soft blankets, and they’re so nice to curl up in. You’ll probably stay there for a little while after he gets up, honestly. 
  * He’s not a talker, surprisingly. Every now and then he’ll pull his arm back to show you some meme on his phone, but that’s about it. He’ll listen to you though! He actually really likes it when you mutter about whatever's on your mind while you cuddle. 
  * King of “Uh huh,” “Wow,” “Mmhm,” and “Damn that’s crazy.” 
  * He really is listening, though. He just likes to tease you a little bit. 
  * His grip is either iron-tight or loose as hell. 
  * On bad days he’ll curl up as the little spoon, and not even the gods could convince him to let go of you. 
  * It takes him a while to warm up to the idea of being a little spoon. Both because his shell is hyper-sensitive, but it also kind of erodes that “bad boy” persona he’s got going on. 
  * Once he’s more comfortable with it, he’s about 50/50 on it. He’s more likely to indulge himself on bad days, but it honestly just depends on his mood.
  * If you pull him away from work, you can bet that he’ll pull you to his chest while he’s sitting on the bed. He’ll lean forward to rest his chin on your shoulder as he explains his latest breakthrough. He shakes a little bit when he’s excited, and you can feel it as he holds you. 
  * He panics a little bit when he’s on his back, but he really likes it when you lay on his plastron, so...Chair cuddles! 
  * He likes to have you in his lap while he works. 
  * He also likes to kick his legs up onto your lap when watching TV. If you guys have the couch to yourselves, he’ll also lay all the way on your lap. If anyone sees you guys, or if anyone comments on it he’ll just hit ‘em with a very snarky quip. 
  * “ _Okay, and? At least I actually have a partner :)”_
  * You don’t know how he said “:)” outloud. 



  
  


Leonardo 

  * He thinks he’s so smooth, but honestly? He’s such a dork. 
  * He’s huge on touch. But cuddling? It’s a whole ‘nother ball game. He loves it a lot, but...he’s so vulnerable! It’s so intimate to him. He’s not adverse to it in the slightest; in fact, it’s the exact opposite! He’s super excited when the topic comes up. 
  * You can tell that the idea of fully cuddling affects him more than he lets on, because he won’t stop talking when you bring up the subject for the first time. He rambles when he’s nervous. 
  * (He talks with his hands a lot, and it’s really cute how he rambles and rubs the back of his neck.) 
  * He’s actually a great cuddler, though. 
  * Big spoon? Hell yeah. Little spoon? Awesome. Horrific entanglement of limbs that would put eldritch horrors to shame? Sweet! He’s just happy to be close to you. 
  * He can go 50/50 on having his phone with him. If he does, he’s usually either watching memes with you or playing a mobile game. 
  * (Kind of unrelated, but he was very excited about that weird, Subway Surfers revival that happened earlier this year. It was all he played for a while, and now you have the tune lodged in your brain forever.) 
  * He’ll talk for a little while if he doesn’t have his phone, before you settle into a comfortable silence. 
  * He’s either ranting about something shitty that happened that day, or shitposting. There’s no inbetween. 
  * “If I shot someone from Texas while I was on the moon, would that fall under Texas’ jurisdiction or the moon’s?” 
  * He also likes to trace little patterns on your hands, if he has access to them that day! You can usually tell what they are. Other times, it just seems like he’s finding an excuse to hold your hand. It’s really cute. 
  * (If you ask him what he’s drawing, he’ll say he’s reading your palms before dropping a sweet little line about how he’s in your future.) 
  * (He does NOT know how to read palms but it’s the thought that counts <3) 
  * Not ashamed about cuddling in public. Hell, if you’re fine with it, he’s more than happy to cuddle during movie night. In fact, it’s kind of a source of pride for him!
  * He looks so cocky about it that Donatello has to make a physical effort to NOT hit him. 
  * Please run your palms over his shell, he’ll melt. 
  * If he’s the big spoon, squeeze his biceps. He might not say it out loud, but he’s melting internally. It sticks in his head for at least a few weeks afterwards. Ego Boost 100
  * If you’re ticklish, prepare yourself for tickles. He strikes without a pattern, and without warning. He doesn’t always do it, though. Maybe about one in ten times. He just likes to hear you laugh :) 
  * He’s very nice to cuddle with overall. He’s the best cuddler in the lair, hands down. 



  
  


Michelangelo

  * Literally the only one in the lair who isn’t embarrassed when you bring up the topic. 
  * He’s been WAITING for this moment, actually. 
  * Doesn’t care about whether he’s the big or little spoon. 
  * He’s super talkative when he cuddles, it’s cute. He usually likes to spend this time talking about one another’s day. He’s a great listener too!
  * He’s always 100% engaged in what you have to say. 
  * He has trouble settling down outside of his normal schedule, so it’s rare that he’ll fall asleep while cuddling. 
  * If you’re in a position that gives his arms a lot of mobility, he’ll draw on you. Not just tracing patterns, but he’ll actually bring out his markers and draw on your arms, back, or just any exposed piece of skin. 
  * He always manages to find the prettiest colors to compliment your skin tone. You never want to wash it off, honestly. 
  * He HAS to keep himself busy with something, or else he’ll explode. At least, that’s how he describes it. If you try and get him to lay down and fall asleep...well, he’ll try! But he’ll be squirming the whole time. 
  * It’s best to throw on a Jupiter Jim movie if you want him to stay still. 
  * He likes to tangle his legs with yours while you cuddle. Whether he’s taller or shorter than you, he WILL find a way. 
  * He’s the lightest out of all the turtles, so there’s a possibility of letting him (partially) lay on you without shattering your sternum! Congratulations!
  * (He’s around 525 lbs. He’s only half of what Raph weighs, but he still has to be careful about how he lays on you. It’s crazy to think that you’re so small compared to him.) 
  * His hands are so cold, and he’ll absolutely use that to his advantage. If he gets bored, or if he just wants to make you laugh, he’ll grab your waist with his cold fucking hands. Hope you’re a northerner <3 
  * He also likes to tickle you, way more than Leo. 
  * Don’t try and tickle him though, he HATES it. He’s absolutely the type of person to just Scream if you try. 
  * Like I said, he gets bored really quickly. He also just likes to make you laugh. 
  * If you’re cuddling in bed though, like right before he falls asleep? It’s so nice. 
  * He’ll still tangle his legs with yours, but he moves so much slower. He loves to let his hands lazily roam across your form as he pulls you closer to him, savoring the comfort and heat that you bring. If he talks, it’s in drowsy whispers that only you two can hear.




	22. Smile - Leonardo Imagine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: hi! can i request a angst/fluff leo imagine where the reader rarely smile nor laugh bcs she's insecure with it so leo tries to make her come out of her shell by telling a lot of jokes and she ended up laughing so hard and leo was awestruck and accidentally said smth like ",,,you look so beautiful when you smile" then confess his feelings to her? sorry if it's too much and thank you!💘💞

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warnings: Self-deprecating thoughts, Reader is a pokemon nerd, horrible puns from Leo, and a happy ending! 

Y. A. Down, right, A. Repeat. You sigh quietly as you lean forward to scratch another blue tally onto your scrap paper. You twiddle the neon blue gel pen between your fingers before setting it back down on your lap. Ah, yes. The rewarding, if not a tad tedious, adventure of chain fishing. You had promised yourself that you’d wait until you got the shiny charm, but who can ignore the allure of a shiny Dratini? Not you. 

You feel a dip in the couch, and you tentatively spare a glance to your right. Leo! You reflexively bite back a smile as you nod your head at him. He shoots you his award-winning and you feel your breath catch in your throat: how can he be so perfect? Your eyes flicker around his face, desperately trying to will away the rapid beating of your heart. Seemingly unaware of your reaction, he leans over to you and slings his arm around your shoulders. He peers over at your 3DS before speaking. 

“Heyyy, (Y/N). Whatcha doin’?” He drawls. 

You curse at him internally, gathering your thoughts as quickly as possible: “Shiny hunting,” you mutter, “I haven’t gotten the charm yet, but I feel like if I don’t get a shiny ASAP I’m just gonna give in and soft reset until I get that shiny Fennekin, you know? So...yeah. Chain-fishing time.” That was probably too much information, you think, but you need to will down your flusterment somehow. But then he leans in closer, and you feel the heat rise to your face once more. 

“Meh, Froakie’s better.”

“It’s shiny form is so boring though.” 

“Yeah,” he hums, “fair enough. Shiny Greninja is dope though. If you ever get one, you’re legally obligated to name it after me. Whatcha lookin for?” He grabs the blue pen from off your lap, but he doesn’t remove his arm’s place from your shoulders. You choose not to comment on it, fearful that he might retract the contact. 

“Dratini, but I’d settle for Poliwhirl.” 

“Dude, imagine if you chained like, 500 times, and then got a fucking Magikarp,” he leans forward to smile at you, and you’re forced to bite back a smile of your own. It’s so reflexive, that you don’t even recognize it anymore. You’ve never liked your smile, or your laugh. But in the moment, you don’t think about that: It simply is what it is. But then you see Leo bite the inside of his cheek. It’s a small, but noticeable action that leaves you wondering: What is he planning? 

“Thank fucking god there’s no Magikarp in this pond, then.” 

“Aww,” he coos, “Don’t play... _Koi_... with me now, (Y/N). A shiny’s a shiny!” 

Did he…? You roll your eyes, but move your hand up to your face nonetheless. Don’t smile, and if you do, don’t show it. You repeat these words in your head like a mantra without even realizing it. “Oh my god, Leo.” 

“What?” He grins. 

You shoot him a look as you bite the inside of your palm. Okay, that one caught you off-guard, but he doesn’t need to know that. 

“Okay, okay,” he chuckles, “I guess you could say that one was…” 

“Don’t.” 

“ _Low Quality Bait_?” 

“I’m gonna attack you like a feral dog,” you huff quietly, masking your amusement. A pseudo-laugh, if you will. 

“But honestly, you love my _lines!_ I mean, I’m hilarious. How could you not be _reeled in_ by them? You can’t tell me that I don’t have you _hooked_ on ‘em, (Y/N)!” 

You chuckle quietly into your hand. So quietly, in fact, that you’re not even sure he heard it. And honestly, that’s probably for the better. A ghost of a smile graces your features as you pull your hand down from your face to lightly elbow him in the plastron. “Nice try, Leo.” You lean against him a little more as you tug the pen out of his hands to mark another tally on your paper. He clicks his tongue as you return the pen to him. 

“I’ll get you to laugh one day, I swear it on Jupiter Jim.” 

“It’ll be a cold day in Hell, then.” You settle into a comfortable silence as you return to the repetitive task. Despite his failure, he doesn’t seem too disappointed. You lean a little more against his plastron, enjoying the comforting moment. You’re not ready to smile or laugh in front of people yet, and that’s okay. You know you have issues with self-confidence, and that’s okay! You’ll get through it someday. You peer up at him through your eyelashes, and for a fleeting moment, you wish you had the confidence to be free enough to share that with him. You return your gaze to the miniature console. He chuckles, plastron shaking ever so slightly. You keep your gaze locked on the console, refusing to jeopardize your composure. He speaks quietly: “Imagine just. Not fucking evolving legs. Go Grandpa Go!” 

A laugh tears its way out of your throat unexpectedly and you double forward. Your hand reflexively darts up to your face to cover your mouth, but to no avail. His hands wrap loosely around your wrists to hold them back, presumably so that you don’t cover your face again, and you glance at him as you giggle. He leans ever so slightly into your field of view, and his eyes shine with an unidentifiable emotion. You try and stop your giggles, but they just won’t stop coming! You lean your body into your hands, and subsequently, him. But instead he pulls his hands away from your wrists, albeit reluctantly. He cups your face with shaky hands, and now it’s your turn to loosely cradle his wrists. Your giggles die down slowly as you meet his shining and smiling gaze. No judgement. No scorn. 

You defy that anxious voice in the forefront of your mind to shoot him a grin back. And you hold your breath, waiting to hear what he’ll say to you. Your grin wavers as that anxious voice rips and tears at your thoughts, begging you to hide, to run away, to panic, to do anything else but what you’re doing now. 

He tilts his head gently, and his smile grows ever so slightly. Surprisingly, he’s the first to break the gaze as he dips his head down momentarily. For a brief moment, you wonder when you got so close together. But that thought quickly becomes the least of your worries as he looks up and begins to speak. “You are... so beautiful when you smile,” he whispers. 

You feel like you’re on fire, and suddenly you can hear your heart pounding in your ears, in your chest, in your stomach...He doesn’t know what he does to you, does he?

As though suddenly realizing what he said he straightens his posture, going completely rigid under your hands. He swallows slowly as his eyes roam your face, searching for a reaction. You take a deep breath, and shoot him another smile. He takes a shaky breath of his own, and you swear you can feel his pulse quicken beneath his wrists. He shoots you his own smile, perfect as always. “ _(Y/N)_ ,” he starts, “I really, _really_ like you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Originally written on the 8th! Completely forgot to post it here, haha. Hope you all enjoyed! <3


	23. Professional Artist! S/O: Michelangelo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: mikey with a professional artist s/o?

  * Oh my gods, he’s so excited. 
  * He loves all forms of art. Whether you’re a realistic painter, a comic book artist, anything: He’s super interested! 
  * Like to ask you for reviews on art supplies before he gets them himself. 
  * Literally never asks you to draw him: He KNOWS how annoying that is, considering Leo asks him about it constantly. If you do draw him, as a surprise or something, he’ll be super honored. He’ll make copies of it and keep it on him at all times. The original gets framed in his room. 
  * He’ll draw you in his own style as a “thank you” gift. 
  * He likes to watch you work, if you’re comfortable with it. He’s such a sponge when it comes to art, and he loves your style a lot. He’s learned a lot from watching you work! 
  * Asks to collab with you, when you get the time. 
  * He draws a lot of inspiration from Troy Duff’s graffiti, and he’s great at transferring the alternative style to canvas. Your guys’ styles mesh so well together, it’s surprising. His own vibrancy and fluid lines, combined with your own style? It’s absolutely gorgeous. 
  * (He’s still struggling with digital art: the stylus fits oddly in his hand, but he’s getting better at it. PLEASE teach him, he’ll appreciate it.)
  * Constantly promoting you on his own social media. 
  * “ _LOOK AT MY PARTNER’S ART THEY’RE SO TALENTED_ ** _🥺🥺🥺”_**
  * He’s definitely asked Donnie to hack into the Twitter algorithm so that your art gets viewed more. 
  * He’s really meticulous about reporting art thieves.
  * (He’s also a little passive-aggressive in the thief’s comments section. It always gets a chuckle out of you.) 
  * (Doctor Delicate Touch pulls through!) 
  * Always down to provide feedback! 
  * He knows a lot about art himself, so his feedback is very direct and specific. It’s nice to have someone who can pinpoint what looks off. 
  * He also asks you for feedback, and he appreciates it a lot. 
  * King of the color pallets. If you ever have trouble deciding which color scheme to go with, he’s your man. 
  * Sends you handmade pinterest boards when you’re going through artist’s block. That’s what helps him! 
  * If you just wanna ride it out, that’s cool too. 
  * Never lets you get down on your art. 
  * He knows what it’s like to get super sucked into your art, so of course he makes you take breaks every now and then. He’ll pick you right up out of your chair to go eat dinner, if you haven’t had a meal together in a while. Or if he made something really special that night. 
  * “ _Babe your spine is gonna snap like a glowstick if you keep working. I made your favourite!”_
  * If you crack your back or your neck suddenly, there’s a 50/50 chance of him screaming. 
  * Texts you reminders to drink water with cute reaction memes. 
  * If you’re in crunch time, he’ll break out his own art supplies and work next to you so you don’t get lonely! It’s cute. He tries his best to be quiet so he doesn’t break your concentration. 
  * Sends cursed emojis to people who complain about your commision prices. Your art is GODTIER and you deserve to be paid accordingly. 
  * Overall, you two are unstoppable together. <3 




	24. Insecure! S/O: Michelangelo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All of these are unbelievably cute! I was wondering if I could request Mikey with an insecure reader? I know you already did Donnie but I would love to see Mikey in this situation, too. Thank you so much!! 🧡

  * He doesn’t understand it. Like, at all. You’re so beautiful?? And so smart?? What is there to not like?? 
  * He’s not a huge fan of drawing people: Human anatomy is so varied, and it’s hard to capture their true beauty. Not to mention, any minor adjustment can make a painting go straight into Uncanny Valley. But for you? He’ll learn. You _are_ his muse, after all. 
  * He doesn’t understand why you’re so emotional the first time he shows you his work. He just. He made you look so pretty, but you don’t see that in yourself. Once you explain that you don’t _feel_ that pretty, he puts his all into changing your mind. 
  * Scars? Stretch marks? He’ll paint over them to show you how _he_ sees them. Rainbow stripes and golden constellations litter your body, turning you into a living canvas. 
  * He’ll also put stickers on you so you guys can match. It’s hard not to smile when you’ve got lightning bolts and smiley-face stickers on you, but it’s even _harder_ when you match with your sunshine boyfriend. 
  * If you ever vent to him about your insecurities, he’ll listen! If it’s something about say, your appearance, or a fault that you don’t _actually_ have and that your brain just _thinks_ you have, he’ll listen to the end. But at the end, be prepared with a “Babe, I hear you, but you’re just straight up wrong. I diagnose you with Perfectosis. Which, as you know, is official doctor-speak for ‘you’re perfect.’” 
  * I mean, he is _Doctor_ Delicate Touch. Can’t blame him for trying. 
  * He’ll hug you afterwards and tell you everything he likes about you, though. You know he’s gotta throw at least one joke in there before he busts out Doctor Feelings. 
  * He starts doodling you a lot more in his free time. 
  * If anyone tries to cut you off, he’ll cut _them_ off. 
  * “I don’t like it when you cut my partner off like that, dude. Let ‘em speak.”
  * Second time?
  * “ ** _Ahem_** _, maybe you didn’t hear, but my_ ** _partner_** _was talking.”_
  * Passive aggressive king. 
  * If they’re a common, repeat offender? There’s a 25% chance that he’ll pounce on them like a feral raccoon. 
  * “Learn some manners!” 
  * He likes to send you wholesome heart memes. They’re always followed up with at least one 🥺
  * He puts up orange sticky notes in random places around your house. Each one has a really nice, tailored compliment that makes your heart melt. 
  * He’s your own personal hype man. Insecure about the way your clothes fit? He’s there. Insecure about your grades? The professor fucking sucks, your essays are bomb as hell. Art? Dude, your art is so pretty why aren’t you taking commissions? Hype Unlimited. 
  * He’ll also help look for resources if you’re insecure about your proficiency in a skill. We can always get better at something! If we weren’t improving, what would be the point, right? 
  * Honestly, he’s such a sweetheart. You’re an angel in his eyes, and it hurts him to know that you don’t see yourself in that light, too. He does his best to support you in every way possible, even if he doesn’t fully understand the reasoning behind it. The road to self-confidence is a long one, but he’ll be there to support you. <3 




	25. Shy & Insecure! S/O: Leonardo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey! How about a Rise!Leo x shy/insecure reader?

  * Insecurity? Prepare for the most supportive boyfriend in the multiverse. 
  * Shy? Better grab an ice pack, cause you’re gonna overheat with how much he makes you blush.
  * He’s fueled by your flustered reactions. He always looks down at you when he throws his arm around you so he can get a peek at your face. 
  * He always presses a kiss to the top of your head afterwards, like a subtle way of saying “sorry, not sorry.” 
  * He really doesn’t get your shyness. Have you seen his family? Shy isn’t in the dictionary, angel.
  * If you explain to him that it’s a legitimate struggle, he’ll try his damndest to help you out. 
  * He pushes you a little bit to get you out of your comfort zone, but he knows when to step in. He only pushes you because he believes in you, and he knows that the only way to move forward is by challenging yourself! 
  * Luckily, he’s great at reading people, and you're no exception. He’s great about stepping in to help you out. 
  * This is also really useful when you’re trying to work up the courage to ask _him_ something! 
  * He wants you to grow, yeah, but when you get all shy around him? He can’t help but fawn and give in. Nothing wrong with helping you out every now and then, right? 
  * King of the encouraging smile. 
  * He'll hold your hand if you're struggling with talking to someone. He'll give your hand a gentle squeeze as he rests his head on his free arm. Whenever you're ready, sweetheart. No rush. 
  * He doesn’t mind talking when you’re not sure about what to say. There’s never an awkward silence when he’s around! He’s super good at creating a chill environment for you. 
  * Totally down to cut people off if they interrupt you. He’s super smooth about it too, so there’s rarely an awkward pause afterwards. It helps you a lot, actually. The fact that the person’s reaction is so...calm? And understanding? It gives you a little bit of courage.
  * He sends you heart memes. I KNOW I’ve said that for everyone so far but. It’s true. He has an entire folder of them, though, so you’ll never see the same one twice. 
  * Also sends you those “send this to your s/o” videos. They’re always very flattering, and they usually get a chuckle out of you. 
  * Hype-Man 100
  * Don’t like how you look in something? He’s here to hype you up. Upset about a grade? He’s here with a tub of ice cream so you can talk shit about the professor. Feel like people are talking about you behind your back? That’s on them. If they don’t say it to your face, then they’re not actually talking shit about YOU, they just don’t like themselves. If they really disliked something about you, they’d say it to your face. Don’t like how you look? Babe, you’re fucking gorgeous?? What?? 
  * He’s a firm believer in exposure therapy. Luckily, he actually does this shit right, and starts out small. So small, in fact, that you hardly even notice it. 
  * Don’t like the way you look? Well, let’s start taking group photos with the family! There’s a bunch of frames that have to be filled anyways, and it just wouldn’t be right without you there! He builds up your confidence so gradually that you hardly even notice it. But one day you start looking through your old photos, and you can see how gradually, you started appearing more in photos. And then it hits you: he’s been helping you this whole time. 
  * He does that for a lot of other things you’re insecure about, too. It's so gradual, that it's a comfortable change. 
  * People underestimate him a lot because of how laid-back he is, but he really is smart. He cares about you a lot, and he just wants you to love yourself as much as he loves you. And he’s gonna pull out every trick in the book to make that happen. 




	26. Doom Eternal: April O'Neil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Playing Doom Eternal with the world's best girlfriend <3

Your feet slap against the pavement as you sprint towards April’s apartment, and you’ve never been so thankful for the impromptu late-night cardio that comes with befriending mutants. Out of all the benefits to receive from making friends with giant mutant turtles, stamina wasn’t one that you were expecting. Then again...you weren’t really expecting the situation to begin with. Nevertheless, you find yourself thankful for the late-night battles in the streets, tearing through the sidewalks of New York with a speed you would have never expected yourself to meet 5 years ago. You breathe steadily as you run, taking in the smell of freshly-ground coffee beans and pumpkin spice as you do so. It’s so distinctly Autumn, and quite frankly, a wonderful step away from the usual scent of New York City. Your feet take you along the bustling streets at a breakneck pace, blending in as just another body in a sea of people. Had you been anywhere else in the world, it may have been a concerning sight. But not here. You leap up her apartment stairs two at a time, weighted backpack slapping against your lower back with a vengeance. Will you be sore tomorrow? Maybe. Do you care? Absolutely not. You take a moment to breathe as you reach her door, composing yourself and regulating your breathing before knocking. Best not to look like an idiot in front of her mom, assuming she answers the door. Once you catch your breath, you raise your fist to the door, knocking gently. 

The door whips open quickly and before you know it, you’re brought into a crushing hug. You laugh, returning the hug quickly. “Good to see you too,” you giggle. 

She pulls away from the embrace, instead choosing to hold your hands to drag you inside. “Happy Halloween month, Sunshine” she chirps, “Did you bring it? Please tell me you brought it, if you forgot it at home we’re marching right back to your place and getting it, deadass.” 

You laugh, taking one hand away from her to slip your backpack off: “Double, triple, quadruple checked to make sure I had it.” You smile even brighter as she pumps a single fist, hissing out a quiet “yes!” She pulls you quickly to her room, flopping on the bed as soon as you both enter. You kick the door shut with your foot before dashing over to her PS4 to slide in your copy of  _ Doom Eternal _ . You turn to look back at her momentary, only to see her smiling straight back at you. Your heart melts as your girlfriend quietly chants “rip and tear” from her spot on the bed. Her excitement is so contagious, that you can’t help but join in with her. 

Halloween is truly the best time of year. 

You unhook a controller from the charging stand, tossing it to her before finding your own spot on the bed. You rest your head against her headboard, opening up your arms as a mock-offering. She quickly adjusts her position, finding a spot in your arms as the game loads. Thank god you both installed it last week. You couldn’t take the disappointment, or stand seeing hers. She drops the controller in her lap momentarily, wrapping an arm around your neck to pull you into a quick kiss. You smile, leaning into it happily. Her hands and lips are warm like sunshine in midmorning: a perfect contrast to the chilly, Autumn air outside. Heaven is a place on Earth with her, you muse to yourself. Cheesy, yes, but how else could you describe it? You pull away slowly as the haunting whine of the loading screen claws its way out of the speakers. “Happy?” you ask. 

She hums affirmatively, leaning her head on your chest. “How mad do you think Donnie would be if he knew we were playing Doom without him?” she chuckles. She quickly selects a new campaign slot, setting on the medium-difficulty “Hurt Me Plenty” mode. The TV casts a dark blue glow upon her room as it begins loading all of the necessary assets for the game. Her thumbs nervously caress and tap the buttons of the controller, eager to play. 

“I’m willing to bet, like, 50 cents that he found the cracked copy the day it released and played it without us.” 

“Oh god, yeah,” she laughs, “I completely forgot about that whole DRM situation. Imagine letting that get out, as a multimillion-dollar company with like, one of the most hyped games ever... Couldn’t be me, honestly.” 

King Novic’s voice slithers its way out of the speakers, drawing your attention to the TV. 

**_"Against all the evil that hell can conjure, all the wickedness that mankind can produce. We’ll send unto them... only you. Rip and Tear until it is done.”_ **

  
  


“Holy fucking shit,” she whispers, leaning forward in her excitement. She grips the controller even tighter as the first cutscene loads, never moving her eyes away from the screen. You smile at her excitement, watching her amber eyes dart around the screen. Her eyes trace the outline of the sigil that’s been burned into the Earth, breathing a quiet sigh of awe: “Babe, “ she breathes, “look at the graphics, this is crazy! This probably looks better than like, actual satellite photos of Earth.” 

You chuckle, “You’re adorable, April.” 

She laughs, “Babe, I don’t think that’s the thing to say when I’m playing a game about murdering demons.” The screams of Earth’s last survivors ring out through her speakers, and you silently pray to the universe that her mom isn’t home right now. The introductory riff to  _ Rip and Tear _ crescendos as The Slayer moves around the ship. April watches with bated breath, occasionally breathing out little sighs of amazement. You can practically see the stars twinkling in her eyes as she watches the cutscene, and her excitement warms your heart. The full force of  _ Rip and Tear  _ hits as The Slayer cocks his shotgun, and April’s eyes shine with unbridled enthusiasm. At this point she leans back into you, gripping the controller tightly. She swings her feet back and forth slightly, too excited to sit still. “Oh my god, this is so fucking badass,” she chimes, “I think that was the best intro scene I’ve ever seen for a game.” 

“What about Skyrim?” You jest. 

“I said best, not most memorable slash memeable,” she returns, waving one hand for emphasis, “Besides, Skyrim didn’t have the awesome metal intro, now did it?” 

“Alright, fair enough,” you giggle, “I can’t wait to watch you Glory Kill some Revenants.” 

“You better not have played this without me!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, do I have like 50 requests? Yes. Do I have like 10 different WIPS that I need to finish? Yes. Did I write this as a spur of the moment thing after listening to Doom Crossing: Eternal Horizons too many times and subsequently getting back into the Doom fandom? Yes <3 In this house we play video games and fall head over heels in love with Rise! April.  
> (For those of you who don't share my undying love for April...I've got a whole bunch of stuff from the turtles to post soon, dw <3 )


	27. Da Vinky?? - Leonardo

The small knife glides through the apple effortlessly as you slice it into small, wedge-shaped pieces. You place each sliver on a plate to your right, wiping the juice off on a spare paper towel. No sense in getting apple juice on your blankets, especially not this early in the week. You grab an extra piece from the plate to snack on as you cut up the rest of the apple. It’s perfectly sweet, just as you like it. You smile at the tranquility of the moment as you whittle away at the apple. Silence, save for the methodical ripping of apple cells. 

What are the ethics of owning a turtle when your best friends are giant, anthropomorphic versions of them? Would it be the same as owning a monkey with human friends? Or is the genetic link too far apart for relation? Is the latter even ethical? Whatever. You suppose it doesn’t matter all too much, considering the former is only a temporary foster. You make a mental note to return to the monkey debate later, though. You glance at the large tank that rests on your dresser, peering in at its inhabitant. On a rock a small turtle lies, basking in the heat of the lamp. You drop a cut piece of apple into the tiny turtle’s tank and watch as he slowly crawls the foreign object. Ironic, isn’t it? Out of all the turtles the universe could have given you to foster, it had to have been a red eared slider. You chuckle to yourself. Maybe Leo would get a kick out of his name. No, he absolutely will. He’s sent you that meme far too many times. 

A dull tap on your window pulls you out of your thoughts and you smile to yourself. The universe really does have a sense of humor, no? You stand up from your spot on the bed, turning around to flash a smile to the turtle outside the window. You find yourself entranced as you walk towards him, breathing a gentle sigh at the way his perfect, cobalt eyes shine in the moonlight. Of course, you push the thought away as quickly as it comes, scolding yourself internally. This isn’t the time to deal with your feelings: that’s an issue for a later time. He shoots you a smile and a two-finger salute, swords bouncing gently as he moves. And thus, your heart swells once again. You delicately place the kitchen blade on the window sill to push the window open and it glides open effortlessly, loosened from hundreds of nights like tonight. The cold, autumn air rushes in instantaneously, and you’re suddenly very thankful that you made enough money to pay for heating. He clambers in quickly, eager to get out of the cold. A practiced song and dance at this point. 

“So, who is it this time?” you grin, picking up the knife and tossing it onto your nightstand. 

“You know me so well,” he smiles. “It’s Donnie, because of course it is! He read some big science paper, and now he’s trying to disprove whatever it said. Something about 4-D black holes, whatever that means. And of course his headphones are broken, because why wouldn’t they be? And now he’s playing his awful music way too loud, and honestly?” He flops onto your bed, bouncing gently: “I’m not dealing with that mess again. You couldn’t pay me. Anyways, what’re you up to?” He reaches over to grab a slice of apple, prompting a smile from you. “What?” He asks. 

Despite the mutagen, there’s still some similarities. Or maybe Hamato’s just like apples. You’ll have to ask Splinter about that later. “Well,” you start, “I’m fostering a turtle, for one.” 

He bolts up from the bed, and you laugh. “Dude, what? You should have led with that, my Donnie story can totally wait. Dude, introduce me.” 

“You’re gonna make friends with my foster turtle?” 

“Duh?” 

You laugh, gesturing to the tank. “You can’t pick him up or anything, but you can feed him some apples. He loves ‘em.” 

He rolls off the bed, squatting next to the large tank. He smiles softly when he spots the little guy, resting his head on his hand. He grabs a piece of apple and lowers it into the tank, smile growing brighter as he watches him eat. He’s cute. “So,” he starts, “what’s its name?” 

“Guess.” 

“Leo?” 

“Absolutely not.” 

“Blue?” 

“No.” 

“Theodore Seville, Copyright Alvin and The Chipmunks, Parenthesis 2007, Directed by Tim Hill?” 

How the fuck does he have that memorized? You laugh, “No, but close.” 

He chuckles with you, pulling his attention away from the mini-him and unto you, “Damn, thought I got it that time. I give. What’s the lil’ dude’s name?” 

You smile, pausing for a moment. He leans forward, and your smile grows. “His name is Da Vinky.” 

He pulls his hands up to his face, laughing into them softly. You smile and lean on the dresser to look at him fully, heart melting at his reaction. Yeah, you definitely made the right choice by going with the meme name. “Alright,” he breathes, reluctantly pulling his hands away from his face to beam at you, “Before we get to how cute it is that you  _ technically  _ named him after me,  _ please  _ tell me you seriously named this fucking baby after a meme. I’m actually gonna lose it if you’re messing with me.”

“Duh?” you mimic. “For real though, it was between Da Vinky or Tintoretto. I figured you’d appreciate Da Vinky more.”

If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he was blushing. But he’s cold-blooded, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrote a little drabble in Spanish class after thinking too much about the Da Vinky?? meme <3 Once I remembered that the turtles were named after Ren. Artists... how could I resist the joke potential? Anyways, just had to get these two imagines out of my head and onto (virtual) paper! Will be back to the usual requests ASAP <3 Love you all!


	28. Happy Valentines Day!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Hey since tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, think we can have a Rottmnt special? Like crush made them homemade chocolate and shyly gives it to them? ✨✨ pretty please! 🙏

You thank the universe that nobody could hear your heartbeat, for if they could, the world would surely fall apart at the intensity of its beats. Your face burns hot, and your body shakes with each step you take. You pray to every deity you can think of that you don’t drop the chocolate you stayed up all night making. Pan after pan and recipe after recipe lead you to this moment, finally finding the perfect concoction. That’s what you tell yourself, at least. No, it is perfect! Right? Fuck, what’s the backup plan if he doesn’t like it? Should you scrap it? Should you have brought some for everyone? You’re so lost in your thought, you hardly recognize your surroundings as you step into the lair. An enthusiastic “hey!” from your friends seals your fate: there’s no turning back now. No second-guessing. 

You’re gonna give it to them. 

**Raphael:**

  * He’s so excited!! Chocolate? For him? From his crush? 
  * He actually has to ask if you’re serious first, he can’t help it. Like really? Ethereal you made _him homemade chocolate?_ He has to be dreaming. 
  * “Are you sure you’re not confusing me for someone else? Not that I’m saying I don’t want it! Wait hold on, this isn’t coming out right-” 
  * Raph what other giant, anthropomorphic snapping turtles do we know??? 
  * He smiles so big when you manage to stammer out that yes, this _is_ for him, and he cradles the package so gently too. He’s such a sweetheart. 
  * He actually made you something too! 
  * He puts the box down gently before going to his room to grab it. 
  * It’s a small handmade card with a little bouquet of wildflowers! (White trillium and starflower to be exact. He thought they were really pretty.) The bouquet is tied loosely with a red ribbon, pulled gently into a bow. 
  * He was so nervous about giving it to you, that he actually wasn’t planning to at all! He’s had everything planned for weeks, but his anxiety kept getting the better of him. But getting something from you was _exactly_ the kind of encouragement he needed to take that final leap. 
  * He’s so flustered when he hands it over, and the way his hands shake makes you feel a little less shy. Maybe he does feel the same way? 
  * Two shy dorks in love <3 



  
  


**Leonardo:**

  * Yoo, for real? For him? Hell yeah, thank you! 
  * He’s really confident on the outside. Like, he’s so excited and accepting about it it’s unreal. All of your anxieties melt away, as they tend to do around him, and you can’t even remember why you were so stressed in the first place! It’s Leo, after all. 
  * He’s dying (in a good way) on the inside though. He’s just internally screaming. Holy shit his crush is giving him chocolate? And it’s homemade? Oh my god look at that tiny white chocolate drizzle, that’s so cute!! Is that a strawberry?? MANY thoughts, head FULL, and in LOVE. 
  * (He’s gonna hardcore brag about it to his brothers later.) 
  * His heart is pounding out of his chest, although he doesn’t divulge that information. 
  * He asks you out right then and there. Like!!! 
  * He doesn’t actually say the word “date,” but god. You’re suddenly all shy again, and you can’t do anything but nod furiously. 
  * The date is super casual, (yes its at Hueso’s. He begs him to pull out all of the stops, and he does so, even if only to shut up Leo. Actual king <3) and it really puts you at ease. At some point he moves to hold your hand, and you can’t help the way your heart leaps into your throat. And he'd be lying if he didn’t feel the same way.
  * His confession is so eloquent, and yet… dorky. Sweet. Like he’s rehearsed it a million times, trying to find the best possible words to win your heart. Little did he know, he’s always had it. 



**Donatello:**

  * oh no
  * He didn’t plan for this. Like, this was literally the one thing he didn’t plan for. 
  * (He has confidence issues, give him a break!! How could he have known that you were going to give him something too? And give it first as well?? Which sets a precedent for the gift he gives?? Social interactions are Awful and he’s in Hell.) 
  * He’s still pleasantly surprised though!
  * He kind of short-circuits for a moment, and he’s completely deadpan for at least three seconds. It’s the worst couple seconds of your life. Then he comes back to reality and thanks you super genuinely. 
  * (It’s hard to read him at the best of times, and this is. So much. He just doesn’t know what to do with himself!!!) 
  * He takes his time looking at every detail on the chocolates, and your anxiety dies down as you see the softest smile grace his features. It’s so genuine, and you don’t even think he knows he _is_ smiling, so it’s really reassuring. 
  * You take the time to really study his features, and fuck, he’s really pretty. You’re both flustered when you guys come back to reality. 
  * He made you a gift too!! In fact, he has a whole day planned out. 
  * It’s a long and fun day of running around the Hidden City, and at night, in New York. 
  * It’s incredible. 
  * He’s confident, and he says all the right things. He’s had this night planned out for weeks, and fuck if it doesn’t shine through.
  * At the end of the night, he gives you his gift with averted eyes. It’s a strange contrast to the pure exciting, confident persona he’s been putting on all day. 
  * It’s handmade, and tailored to your exact interests and equipped with his own, Donatello-Style flair. 
  * He’s confident in his tech, and he knows you like the back of his hand, but this is… completely new territory. 
  * Valentine’s Day has never been so perfect.



**Michelangelo**

  * He did the same thing, actually!!! So this is actually so perfect for him!! 
  * He spent all night making the perfect chocolates. Most of them are filled, and those that aren’t have some unique, artistic drizzle adorning them. If you hadn’t known better, you would have thought he got them from a fancy chocolate place. 
  * He genuinely can’t contain his excitement when you hand him the box all shyly. His eyes light up with the brightness of a dying star going supernova. 
  * He immediately hugs you, careful not to crush the chocolates, and then his mouth is moving at a mile a minute. It’s almost hard to keep up!! He’s just so happy and excited, and he’s running to the kitchen and he has a box too??? Hello, what’s going on?? 
  * He’s trying so hard to not just blurt out a confession here and now. 
  * It’s completely impromptu, but he suggests going out on the town. He didn’t plan it, he was honestly just planning to stay in and watch some movies with you, but now that you’ve brought him a Valentine’s Day gift too? That means you like him too right, maybe? 
  * If he’s gonna confess to you, it’s sure as hell not gonna be in a sewer. (Even if it is his home. It just ain’t right, man!) 
  * It’s really fun! You feel so at home with him, and there’s no pressure at all. 
  * Everything just seems to fall into place around him. He’s your home. Unbeknownst to you, he feels the exact same way. 
  * He confesses by the end of the night. It’s so sweet and sincere, but there isn’t a single moment of hesitation. He’s so head over heels for you, and that love shows itself in every movement and word. 



**April**

  * She’s never been given chocolates before!! She’s always looked on in envy through middle school, highschool, at work, etc. So fuck, if she’s not immediately swarmed with emotion. She’s like, two seconds away from crying. I love her so much…
  * It’s actually really funny, because she ordered a really nice bouquet of ivory & pink flowers from her local flower shop for you, but they hadn’t arrived yet! She’s super upfront with it, and it gets a good laugh out of both of you. The classic April O’Neil luck, ey? 
  * It definitely lightens the mood, and she suggests going out to a local restaurant to get lunch, and then maybe go sightseeing! Or maybe just goof around in the Hidden City? No pressure! 
  * It’s super fun! You never want the night to end, to be quite honest. 
  * You get to choose the music while you guys drive around, and you end up picking the silliest stuff. You guys laugh and belt out the lyrics to every song. 
  * The food at the restaurant is perfect, and everything goes off without a hitch. At some point she reaches across the table to interlock fingers with you, and you’re suddenly alight with so much love and recognition that this _is_ an official date, and your best friend - your _crush_ \- is holding hands with you, and her hand is so soft and warm and… you’re so in love. And unbeknownst to you, she’s feeling the exact same strain of emotion.
  * At the end of the night she takes you to a rainy spot in the Hidden City, and you guys dance and sing in the rain. 
  * Everything feels so natural and perfect with her. She’s your safe space, your home, your world. 
  * You can barely stand to part at the end of the night. 
  * When you do get back to your home, you find her gift at your front door. It’s a beautiful bouquet of white Gardenias, pink Carnations, pink Peonies, and… a white Lily. They stand perfectly in a vase, apparently left at your doorstep by the delivery driver. You place them on your kitchen counter as soon as you can, and text her immediately. 
  * You love her with all your heart, and she’s head over heels for you, too. 




	29. Smooth - Leonardo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: How would the boys and April react with a s/o they’ve been dating for a few months now and one day s/o gently cups their cheeks and kisses them, they’re extremely smooth about it?

The light of the fire licks at your exposed skin, bringing a warming comfort to the otherwise chilly night. You smile and lean back against Leonardo’s plastron, counting his steady breaths as the sparks dance high into the night sky. The flames dance and twirl passionately, destroying the logs with fierce crackles and pops and piercing the quiet night with an almost paradoxical symphony of soothing destruction. Waves lap against the shore, although you’re much too far away to feel the chilling waters. You’ve had enough of the water for the night, anyways. Leo laces his hand with yours and pulls you closer, and you happily relax into his embrace. He hums deeply, content and calm with the world - even if only for a moment. You draw your eyes away from the fire to rest on him, as he gazes up at the night sky, seemingly lost in his thoughts. The light of the flame dances on his face, illuminating his features with a near-ethereal glow. His eyes shine in the light, and you can’t help but compare them to the night sky that they’re trained on. You sigh softly. You truly are the luckiest person in the world right about now. He tears his eyes away from the sky to meet yours with a look that can only be described as pure love and vulnerability. 

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer,” he smiles, “Whatcha thinking about?”

You return the smile, humming quietly, “I don’t know. I’m caught between ‘You’re the prettiest person I’ve ever seen’ and ‘I’m glad we came out here.’ I was still trying to figure out which one to lead with, honestly.” 

“Alright, Hallmark channel,” he chuckles. Despite the sarcastic remark, you can see how the blood rises softly to his cheeks and how his grip tightens slightly, almost imperceptibly so. Not to mention the way his heart rate speeds up, echoing loudly from within its cage of bone. 

“Who’s this coming from again?” You snicker. 

He rolls his eyes, although there’s no malice in the gesture. It’s light, playful, as though he realized the irony of the statement. If there’s anyone that deserves the title of Hallmark, it’s him. He’s a dork. Your dork. And before you know it, your hands are moving of their own accord, cupping his face with your hands with an almost uncharacteristic grace, one that you would never be able to reproduce consciously. And then your lips are on his, and you’ve never felt so at peace with the world. He feels like home, and that feeling only grows as he responds, pulling you closer. Your body is alight with the heat of a star going supernova, the feeling of belonging becoming almost too euphoric to bare. 

You’re the first to pull away, eyes glazed over and breathless. A smile paints itself on your lips, and he soon adorns one of his own. Breathless, dorky, and in disbelief. His hands move to cup your own cheeks, pressing his forehead against yours with the quietest laugh, still reeling from the experience. 

_“I’m so in love with you.”_


	30. S/O /w Emotional Support Cat: All, Non-Poly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Is it okay if I ask how the boys react to Reader (with permission) brings their emotional support cat to the lair, or them finding out reader has one.

**Raphael:**

  * A cat!! A small friend :) 
  * He’s not too shocked to find out that you have an emotional support cat, honestly. He thinks it’s really cool! Animals are good friends, and he’s an animal lover himself as well. Plus animals just tend to bring nice energy with them! He totally understands it. 
  * He’d also love to bring the cat over! He even buys a little cat bed for them to sleep in. 
  * (He loves cats, but he knows nothing about them. The cat bed never gets used </3) 
  * Unfortunately… animals take a long time to warm up to him. He has no idea why, either! We all saw how Mayhem reacted on the first meeting. Depending on how skittish your cat is, it could take anywhere from a week to months of contact for them to really get used to Raph. 
  * He’s a little sad that your cat doesn’t immediately vibe with him, but honestly, he’s just happy that you feel comfortable enough to bring them over. If you’re happy, he’s happy!
  * He gets so excited if/when your cat warms up to him though. His eyes light up like a torch in the dark when your cat presses their head into his hand for the first time. 
  * He knows every detail about your cat, it’s really sweet. What temp they like the heating blanket on, what their favorite toy is, what their favorite brand (and flavor) of cat food is, where their favorite spot is… He genuinely considers them to be part of the family at this point. 
  * Honestly, 10/10 he loves you and your emotional support cat <3



**Leonardo**

  * Your emotional support animal is… a cat? Alright, he can get that. Different strokes for different folks, after all. 
  * He thinks the cat is super cute, honestly. He always brings strings and cat toys over for your cat when he comes to your apartment. They’re a member of your family, and he’s gonna treat them like one!! 
  * He’s cool with bringing them over to the lair as well! He’s a little worried that they’ll escape or get lost or something, but like, you know them best. He trusts you! 
  * He still sets up little cardboard cat-gates. He doesn’t know that they could just jump over them if they wanted to, but he doesn’t NEED to know that. 
  * He actually gets a little excited when you bring them over for the first time? Like, this is such a huge display of trust and comfort, and it just makes him really happy. He makes sure to get the softest blankets for them to lay on. 
  * The cat likes him, by the way! He has really good vibes, and most animals tend to pick up on that. Dogs usually gravitate towards him, but cats are Not Immune to Leon. 
  * (Raph is SO SALTY ABOUT IT LIKE WHY DON’T THEY LIKE ME I LOVE CATS PLEASE PSPSPSPSP-) 
  * When your cat isn’t by your side, they like to sit on Leo’s chest. He wants to carry them around like a parrot so bad like-
  * He meows back at them sometimes. It’s cute. 
  * He also likes to do voices for them.
  * He loves them a lot, and he’s happy that you have such a sweet and reliable emotional support animal. 



**Donatello**

  * Oh, you have an emotional support animal? Are they a therapy animal? A psychiatric service animal? Prescribed by the court, or independently pursued? Dog? Cat? Horse? 
  * He thinks the neuroscience between human-animal relationships is neat, and it’s something he somewhat understands on a personal level. Animals are quiet and non judgemental. They don’t have the predetermined biases that a human, yokai, or mutant might, and that alone reduces so much stress and pressure. 
  * He thinks it’s kind of cool that your emotional support animal is a cat, as well. He’s always been a cat-person. 
  * Every now and then he’ll build a little gadget for them to play with. It’s more basic than what he’s used to, but sometimes it's just fun to tinker. It’s still stuff you probably couldn’t buy in stores too, like, what a good boyfriend!! Your cat definitely appreciates it! 
  * He’s fine with you bringing your cat over. The only rule is No Cats in the Lab. 
  * It’s not that he doesn’t like them, it’s just like. It’s an accident waiting to happen. He doesn’t want them to get hurt from jumping where they’re not supposed to, or from getting shocked by an exposed wire or something. He’s genuinely just looking out for them. 
  * This is a headcanon I’ve had for a LONG time and I’m so happy I finally get to bring it up. Have you ever heard of Rubber Ducky Debugging? In short, programmers will carry around a little rubber ducky, and when they run into a problem with their code that they can’t seem to solve, they explain every line of code to the rubber duck. It makes the programmer think about their code in a new way, which points out the problem that makes the program fail. 
  * Your cat has become the Rubber Ducky. Your cat has been blessed with knowledge including - but not limited to - string theory, black hole mirage theory, the coding to an updated battle shell, the code for a self-aware supercomputer, and much more. Your cat has transcended this mortal plane. 
  * Like, he has full-on conversations with your cat. It’s a really silly sight to walk in on. 
  * Responds to their meows with things like “Yes, I know. Tell me more.” He always says it in a really monotone voice, and it makes you giggle. 
  * Your cat likes him a lot. They follow him around like a shadow when he comes out of the lab. 
  * He’s definitely started training them on how to use communication buttons. Speech pathology is so cool… your cat will take over the world soon. 
  * Overall, they’re good friends, and he’s happy that you have a loving outlet to help you emotionally.



**Michelangelo**

  * Oh, Baby? Tiny little baby man? 
  * Loves that you have an emotional support cat! Cats are such good friends, and they’ll always keep your secrets. Plus, you can smooch their tiny little head. What’s not to love? 
  * He’s actually the first to suggest bringing them over! And he’s super stoked when you agree. 
  * He definitely spends a few hours cat-proofing the lair. He’s watched too many cat videos where they bat stuff off of ledges. He loves them, but cats are NOT to be trusted with such temptation. 
  * Please let him bust out the laser pointer. He’ll get so excited about it, like… it’s all he’s ever wanted. 
  * Your cat takes a little while to warm up to him, just because Mikey is so high energy! Even when he’s sitting still, he’s still a little fidgety. So depending on how skittish they are, it may take a little while. 
  * Definitely likes to nap with them! It’s a really cute sight to walk in on. 
  * (Sunlight lover solidarity <3) 
  * Looks up cat-safe recipes to cook for them, and he’s memorized how much of each thing a cat can have per week. He spoils all of his pets, and your baby? No exception. (And your cat certainly isn’t complaining! Healthy and delicious food!)
  * He likes to talk to them. Both for emotional stuff, and for silly stuff. 
  * If he’s cooking, and they’re not with you, they’re on the kitchen table meowing at Mikey. He always responds. Either with meows or words, but he actually feels mean if he doesn’t say something back. 
  * He loves them a lot, and he’s happy that you’re happy! 




	31. Backfire - [All Turtles, Non-Poly]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Hey! How do you think would the boys try to impress their crush? And how would it (eventually) backfire?

**Raphael**

  * He tries to show off his leadership skills more! He also tries to take on more responsibility and challenges. This can manifest in home life and in battle. 
  * He’ll try to plan more outings, plan entire meals for home, take on more opponents in battle, etc.
  * See how strong and smart he is? 
  * Of course, this is a double-edged sword. Everyone gets their ass handed to them at some point: it doesn’t matter how strong you are. 
  * He’s super embarrassed about it. 



**Leonardo**

  * Stunts and taking on a lot of responsibility. He definitely tries to lead the team more, and he puts a lot more flair into everything he does. 
  * Even with mundane stuff, like handing you a spoon or a pen. There’ll always be a little flip or a twirl before he hands it over. 
  * He also tries to pull off more parkour, more skating tricks, more complex strats in basketball, etc. 
  * Unfortunately… we’ve all seen how he flubs things at really important moments. He’s gonna try and do a flip or something and fall flat on his face. Or accidentally yeet a salt shaker when it hits his hand wrong. 
  * He dies inside. RIP Leo. 



**Donatello**

  * Does this one even need to be said? Through his tech, of course! He also tries to get fancier and more fluid in battle. He won’t take on more than he can handle, but he gives everything a little more… flair.
  * (He’s a theatre kid at heart, and damn it if that doesn’t show in the way he fights-) 
  * He’s at your beck and call when it comes to technology. Need a new jacket? Sure! Dyed purple (for no reason at all. No reason. Stop looking at me like that, it’s all the dye I have, do you expect me to go out and buy different colors?) and has nanotechnology that’s impervious to all attacks! Break your favorite mug? Here’s a new one that heats up your drink on it’s own, changes color, and tells you the weather! 
  * But as we all know, some inventions have certain… bugs… upon release. Maybe that one should have stayed in beta a little bit longer. _Oh god it's on fire-_
  * He’s mortified. 



**Michelangelo**

  * He hates being perceived as childish, so he’ll definitely try to make sure he’s not perceived as such. He’s sort of like Leo in the way he tries to show off with acrobatics, but he’ll also try and show off the skills he’s worked so hard to hone. 
  * He also tries to take on more responsibility, but unfortunately, his brothers aren’t all too keen on handing over more tasks. They just don’t trust him, RIP. 
  * In the daytime, expect sweet little bento boxes and pretty dessert packages. At night, expect to see the streets of New York painted in neon orange paint, glowing brightly in the light of the moon. 
  * Unfortunately, glow-in-the-dark paint tends to attract a lot of attention. He gets really scratched up running from some cops one night, and he has a hell of a time explaining it to you the next day.
  * He’s not embarrassed, though. He’d do it again to see your smile. 
  * (He does fall flat on his face after getting his kusari fundo tangled in the middle of a battle though. That’s humiliating.) 




	32. Friendly Competition - Leonardo & Michelangelo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: Now I can’t get the image of Mikey and Leo prancing around the lair to try to impress Y/N and Raph and Donnie just exchanging glances like wth in response to this X,D Wait, are you open to requests? Because then I’d totally request if you could do the idea of Leo and Mikey trying to impress Y/N in outdoing each other…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS WAS SO FUN TO WRITE.... I love parkour a lot, and I really had to think about how to describe some of the feats. It was also just fun to write Mikey and Leo bickering <3 Brothers will be brothers!

“Carl, Carl! Oh my god, dude,” Mikey squeals, clinging tightly to Raph’s side. Any other day, you might have laughed a little at his reaction - once a little brother, always a little brother - but you’re not in much better standing this time. The boy on TV backs slowly away from the zombies a little overconfidently for your liking, and you can’t suppress the rush of anxiety that courses through you. He’s a TV character, sure, but you’ve watched him grow up! He can’t die now, right? 

And when the third walker appears, grabbing onto the young boy and pulling him down, you could have sworn the whole lair screamed. The room is filled with the “no’s” and various swears of your friends as the kid fights for his life, and you press yourself further into the couch to try and put some distance between you and the TV. You flinch at the sound of gunshots as he pushes the walkers away, barely managing to stay alive, when suddenly the room is pierced with a noise that’s somehow even more jarring and terrifying. 

Battle alarm. Of course. Some yokai...alien… whatever it is... had to terrorize New York City now, of all times? 

"Couldn't this have been an email or something? Really, the nerve of some people. Interrupting The Walking Dead now, of all times," You groan jokingly, pausing the show for the boys as they rise to their feet. 

“If you unpause it while we’re gone, I will take you as a prisoner of war and treat the Geneva Convention as a to-do-list,” Donatello snarks. 

You stick your tongue out at him, but you can’t help but giggle. “Noted, D. Hurry back guys, stay safe!” 

“We will!” Raphael calls, waving to you with a smile before stopping at the exit of the lair, waiting for his brothers to catch up. Donatello walks right past him, balancing his tech bō over the expanse of his shoulders. You smile and wave back at Raph, but soon after, you’re met with the excited cheers of Mikey. He takes a running start at one of the nearby guard rails, grinning as he lines himself up at an angle. He jumps, grabbing the bar and spinning himself around it with ease to face you. In the brief second where your eyes lock, he shoots you a wink and a grin, before spinning himself back around and walking off. I mean, you know he’s a ninja and all, but has he always been that smooth with his parkour? Or like, that smooth in general? 

He waves quickly at you with a smile and walks straight past Raph and into the tunnels of the sewer system. “Later, angel!” He chirps. 

Leo boos before taking a running start of his own. Not to be outdone, he avoids the bar completely, instead choosing to flip over it entirely. He clears the bar with ease, landing on one leg and sweeping the other under him to perform a small rotation towards the ground. As he regains his balance, he pushes himself up with one hand and removes his feet from the ground to do another rotation before planting them once more and performing an angled flip. His movements are quick and fluid, as though such acrobatic feats were innate to his nature. As he lands he grins and shoots you a pair of fingerguns - which you laugh at softly - before backing out of the lair. “Later, sweetheart,” he coos, and turns around to walk out properly. You chuckle again once you hear Mikey’s voice echo from the sewers. 

“Show-off.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You swish the warm drink around in your mug and take a sip. You practically purr at the heat as it hits your tongue: it’s been far too cold for your liking lately. Or, maybe you’re spending too much time in the sewers. Maybe you should invest in some space heaters, if you’re gonna be down here all the time. You twiddle a pencil between your fingers as you fill out the tattered crossword in a vain attempt to wake your brain up a little. Who was Aphrodite’s son again? Did she even have a son? You suppose you’ll get back to that one. 

Raphael stumbles into the kitchen with a groan, fumbling around for a fresh mug. “Good mornin’, Y/N.” 

“Good morning, Raph,” you reply. 

He finally manages to find a mug, pouring some coffee and creamer and pulling up a chair next to you. He leans his head in his hands, clearly not awake yet. You chuckle. “Sleepy?”

He hums affirmatively and takes a sip of his coffee. You pat his shell gently and return to your crossword. You’ve never felt more like an adult, you think sarcastically. It’s like some scene out of a Lifetime movie. 

Out of nowhere, there comes a loud thump from the common area, followed by the quiet swears of Leo. You damn-near jump out of your seat at the sudden noise, barely managing to keep your drink in your mug. It sloshes around the rim, and you quickly put your hand up to steady it. Raph, meanwhile, stays glued to his seat, seemingly unbothered by the loud noise. “Good morning,” he repeats. You snort. “Good morning, indeed,” you reply. 

After a moment of thought, you set down your cup and rise to your feet. You might as well check out the noise and make sure everything is okay. You pat Raph’s head one last time before walking out into the living room, only to find Mikey and Leo whispering loudly at one another. Their voices are so hushed that it’s difficult to decipher what exactly they’re saying, although you can certainly hear them. But judging by the force behind the indecipherable words - and the overexaggerated hand motions - it clearly isn’t a friendly discussion. You clear your throat and wave gently at them, which catches their attention. 

“Everything okay?” You venture. 

“Yeah-” says Mikey. 

“Yeah- It’s- Everything’s all good,” Leo stumbles, only to be cut off by his brother.

“Why wouldn’t it be?” He elbows Leo harshly, emphasizing some point to his brother that you’re clearly missing. 

“Hunky-dorey.” 

“Peachy-keen”

“Perfect.” 

The two keep stuttering and stammering, occasionally elbowing the other without warning. You raise an eyebrow at the strange behavior, and decide to intervene. “Okay,” you drawl, “I’m gonna pretend I didn’t just hear… whatever that was. For your guys’ sake.” You joke lightly, attempting to lighten the mood a little and divert the attention away from that… trainwreck of an interaction. And the boys seem all-too-happy for the excuse, as Leo quickly jumps in with a quick question. 

“Hey, now that you’re here, could you do us a huge favor? We’re having a little…” he pauses, “brotherly competition, and we need someone unbiased to judge.” 

“Oh, that sounds fun!” You chirp, “What kind of competition is it?” 

“It’s-” 

“It’s a parkour competition!” Mikey interjects. 

The tension between the two turtles is thick, and you certainly don’t want to be the one to address it. Perhaps if you ignore it, it’ll go away on its own? Maybe they both woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, or maybe this competition has high stakes? You sigh internally: it’s too early to be thinking this hard. “Sweet! I’m ready to be impressed,” you jest. “Who’s going first?” 

“Me!” 

“I will!” 

They reply in unison, cutting each other off for the umpteenth time today. You chuckle and roll your eyes, which catches their attention. You don’t miss the way their eyes light up… or the way Mikey begins to smirk. He looks almost devious, although you suppose such a mischievous look isn’t an uncommon sight with him. 

“Leo,” he starts, “How about you go first?” 

He takes the bait with a grin, clearly unaware of whatever plan Michelangelo’s formed. “Why certainly!” He rolls his wrist around in an overexaggerated motion, beaming with absolute confidence. “As the eldest brother in the room, I’d be happy to show you how it’s done.” 

And with that, he’s off. His movements are as smooth as silk as he runs towards the nearest crate, grabbing it at an angle to flip himself over once. He lands on his feet with a loud “thump” against the concrete, but he doesn’t waste a moment as he runs towards the nearest wall. He runs up its length the moment he’s in range, this time using his body weight to spin himself during his flip. He’s fluid in his movements, years of practice and training shining through in this brief moment. This time he lands straight up on both feet, although he doesn’t take any reprieve. Instead, he kicks himself up and over, sweeping the leg to enter a combative stance. A final flourish in his display, you assume. And just like that, it’s over. The show only lasted a matter of seconds, but it’s still enough to leave you starry-eyed and in awe. 

“That was fucking badass, Leo!” You clap. 

“Really?” He smiles, “Uh, I mean, yeah! Thanks!” He fumbles with his hands for a moment before finding a spot for them. He rests them behind his head, shifting side to side on his feet. God, that’s so fucking cute. 

You beam: You can’t wait to see what Mikey does! “Think you can top that, Mikey?” 

He returns your excitement wholeheartedly, shining back with something that seems like… so much more than his typical positivity. In most situations, he radiates so much positivity that one could liken it to a lighthouse for the hopeful. But his attitude seems different from that usual beacon of light. He’s excited, positive, and confident, but that’s not what’s throwing you off. Sure, they’re competitive, but what’s the motivator this time? Ah, you suppose you’ll find out soon enough. You’re brought out of your thoughts by his cheers. “Easy!” 

And god, Mikey’s movements are so graceful that he makes Leo’s look inexperienced, like a giraffe crossing a tightrope. He moves like a swan through water, scaling walls effortlessly and flying through the air like it’s his second home. He starts his routine off strong, leaping at the first waist-high object he could lay his eyes on, performing an impromptu 720 rotation and landing on the concrete protrusion hands-first. He leaps off it as quickly as he landed, using his momentum to propel himself onto a nearby set of steel bars. He throws himself from one to the other with ease, spinning and adding his own flair to each and every movement. You can’t seem to take your eyes off of him while he leaps his way to victory. He uses any ledge possible to propel himself higher and higher, and his movements are so light and quick that they hardly make a sound. And before you know it, he’s standing at the topmost bit of the lair. He plops himself down, dangling his legs off of the precipice and swinging them back and forth. From this far away, you can barely see the way his grin stretches across his face, but you know it’s there. He raises one hand to wave at you and Leo, and the way he wiggles his fingers signals that he knows he’s won. And to be fair, he has. You giggle at the way Leo mutters “show-off” under his breath - where have you heard that one before? - before signaling for Mikey that he’s won and to head on down. And god, the descent is just as impressive. He laughs as he kicks and spins his way down, and despite the competition being over, he continues to shine and demonstrate his skills flawlessly. 

_ “One and one, baby!”  _


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: I love your stuff to much. its exactly what I'm in the mood for right now. whenever you feel up to taking request or something let me put this idea out for you if you like it: Any of the Turtles (Plus April but I'm mainly here for the turtles) with an S/O with long hair? Or maybe even the opposite way and an S/O with short hair. like I personally prefer the long hair option but I know someone out there would probably love to see the short hair option so that would be nice too.
> 
> either way you right them so well I'm sure it would be sweet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Assuming that it’s straight hair, by the way! Although if people are interested, I’d love to do a curly-haired version as well <3

**Raphael:**

  * He loves your hair so much! It takes a lot of patience and dedication to grow your hair out that long!
  * He loves to braid your hair so much! He likes it when you sit in between his legs during movies so he can braid it. 
  * He’s so gentle too: You can’t remember a single time where he’s tugged on it while brushing or braiding it. You’ve fallen asleep so many times while he plays with your hair. 
  * He googles so many intricate designs to try out. Although, he usually defaults to a waterfall braid if he’s tired and there’s nothing in particular you want. He also likes to weave in flowers, if you’re not allergic to them! 
  * He always has a bunch of hair ties on hand for you. (Most of them are in red!)
  * If you fight with them, he always makes sure your hair is tucked away and safe before engaging. Long hair is too easy to grab! 
  * He loves to play with your hair while cuddling, especially. There’s something so calming about laying on his plastron while he runs his hands through your hair. 
  * Bonus! He’s so fucking tall, that he’s actually exempt from being suffocated by your hair while spooning. Love wins <3 



**Leonardo**

  * Low-key jealous </3 Just kidding, he loves it. 
  * He loves to brush your hair, but he hits his fair share of tangles. Please teach him how to hold your hair properly. 
  * He’s also one to look up cool braids to put in your hair! He takes a lot of inspiration from fantasy hair styles. (Specifically, he really wants to do the Legolas braids.) 
  * He carries scrunchies in your pocket for you because he thinks they’re cute. 
  * He doesn’t get that hair just falls out sometimes? He’s so confused and concerned when he finds a random strand of hair in his room. He thinks you’re dying, lmao.
  * He’d love to dye your hair someday! He’s instantly mind-boggled at how much time it actually takes, but he’s still super stoked anyways. 
  * Absentmindedly plays with your hair during movie nights. He doesn’t even realize he’s doing it half the time, but it feels really nice.
  * He loves to pet your hair while cuddling. It’s so gentle and sweet, and it puts you to sleep really quickly. 



**Donatello**

  * Oh, long hair? Cool. He thinks it’s impressive that you’ve managed to grow it out so long, and keep it healthy as well! 
  * A lot of the sweet routines you form in regards to your hair actually takes a bit of time to develop! It’s something that certainly grows over time. 
  * One of the first things is simple. He installs a little hook next to the entrance of his lab where he leaves a bunch of hair ties for you. (Always in purple, unless you ask for more colors.) He doesn’t want your hair to get damaged, or for you to get hurt, if there’s a stray spark in the lab. After a little while, he starts carrying some on his person as well. 
  * He gets overstimulated really easily when it comes to texture, and having hair in his face while cuddling really hits all the checkboxes with that. But obviously, he’s not going to give up cuddling time, so what does he do? He starts braiding your hair before bed! And that’s when he finds out he really likes to play with your hair. 
  * Every night before bed, he braids your hair. It’s a really sweet routine that you share with him. (And you get to listen to him talk about his day! Brothers, inventions, WOW lore, it could be anything really.) 
  * When you’re watching something together, he’ll absentmindedly play with/pet your hair. After a while, he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it. 



**Michelangelo**

  * TIME TO BUST OUT THE HAIRSTYLE MAGAZINE... HE’S BEEN WAITIN’ FOR THIS ONE
  * For real though, he loves long hair. (And short hair! He thinks it’s all super pretty…) 
  * He’ll bust out the bobby pins, the hairspray, everything. People will literally ask you who does your hair, and your brain fucking fries trying to think of how to describe your non-human boyfriend in a human way. Halo braids, half-up bows, flower braids… he’ll do it all. 
  * He’s a little rough at first, but he gets the hang of it pretty quickly. He’s not immune to the stray tangle, though. 
  * He likes to carry bobby pins around for you, which is a contrast to the rest of his brothers! (Bangs are Hell, and you never know when you’ll need one! For your hair OR for breaking into someone’s house! <3) He also carries around little butterfly clips and stuff. If you ask he’ll start carrying ties around though <3 King. 
  * Loves to screw around with your hair at the randomest of times. He loves to hold your cheeks when you kiss, and sometimes when you part he’ll lift up your hair a little and make silly monster noises. It’s so dumb but it makes you laugh so much. 
  * He’d be so good at dyeing your hair, please let him!! He’s really patient, and his eye for color is great. 
  * He loves to play with your hair while cuddling. He does a really specific thing where he’ll part your hair into a bunch of different sections before scooping them all back together and running his hands through it. It actually feels really nice on your end (and helps combat tangles), and it keeps his brain busy. You fall asleep super quick every time. 



**April O’Neil**

  * Oooh, pretty!! She has super long hair herself, her’s is just really curly. So she has a lot of respect for long hair! 
  * Loves to play with your hair during movies, if she’s the big spoon that night. She usually twists the strands around her fingers, or gently pets them. It’s really relaxing, and her touch is so gentle. You can’t count how many times you’ve fallen asleep like that. 
  * She always has these really nice hair ties on hand, it’s great. Her hair ties are super stretchy and never snag, which is awesome. She has like, three on her wrist at any given point in time. 
  * Loves to run her hands through your hair after kisses. 
  * She’s never actually dyed her own hair, just because bleaching natural hair is such a process. (Plus, she does NOT want to deal with teasing from the boys during the early stages of bleaching. They would never let it go </3) However, she’s really good at dyeing hair once she gets into it! She’s meticulous, and there’s not a single strand left uncolored. Her hands are steady as she works, and it’s so calming. She has the best hair-dyeing playlists too. She always makes you laugh too, so sometimes a little dye will get on an un-vaselined patch of skin, but honestly? It’s just a cute reminder of her. 




	34. Short, Curly Haired! S/O [All, Nonpoly]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: If you don’t mind, could the reader have messy curly hair? ( like short messy curly hair? I totally don’t want to buzz in your work/ bother your creative process so if you dont want to do it it’s fine!! 💕 )

**Raphael**

  * Short curly hair… he’s so in love. 2B to 4C, it’s all gorgeous to him! 
  * If you’re okay with having your hair touched, he’s a king at detangling. His fingers work apart the little knots and tangles so gently, you hardly even realize he’s there. It’s relaxing. 
  * Loves putting little spring beauties, virginia roses, and starflowers in your hair. 
  * Curly hair & glasses pair so well together… if you ever include glasses into your aesthetic, he’s gonna MELT. 
  * Entranced by the life and bounce of your hair.
  * Really impressed by the amount of time and care that goes into maintaining curly hair!! 
  * He’s pretty good about packing umbrellas! New York rains all the time, which sucks if your hair frizzes in the rain. It’s nice to walk cuddled up to him, rain tapping rhythmically on the umbrella. 
  * Literally the king of beanies. Do it, steal them. (He thinks it's the cutest thing ever, too. He can’t help but lean down to give you a kiss when he catches you.) 



**Leonardo**

  * Curly hair is so pretty to him, and short hair has a very special spot in his heart, so short AND curly hair? He’s about to propose. 
  * He’s actually pretty okay at detangling! He knows when he’s not gonna be able to get one and just leaves it alone. Great to fall asleep to, not so great if you actually want to go somewhere. 
  * This man has the memory of a GOD. He knows your hair care routine forwards and backwards, and he likes to help :) He also likes to draw little cat ears on your products. It makes you giggle. 
  * He likes to rest his head on yours doing movie night.
  * He loves to swim so much… godspeed with your hair, babe. He promises not to tease you if your hair gets frizzy.
  * He’ll carry an umbrella for you for the rain. New York is so rainy… rip frizzies.
  * We all know he’s jokes for everything. Any time, any place. It’s your choice on whether you have to beat him to death with a pillow. 
  * “ _Hey, could you pass me the salt?” “What? Sorry, I couldn’t hear you over the…._ ** _volume_** _of your hair.”_
  * Humble him by smacking him with the nearest pillow <3 



**Donatello**

  * God, you’re so pretty. Short, messy, naturally curly hair is literally his ideal type. 
  * Also god FINALLY an excuse to buy silk satin pillowcases. He’s been wanting them for ages, he just hasn’t actually bought them. He’s 100% using this as an excuse. Even if you don’t use satin pillowcases yourself, he’s getting them damn it. 
  * King of detangling. Need I say more?
  * Tech bo has a built-in umbrella! God is Real and she’s in New York tonight <3 
  * He’s somewhat aware of the amount of love and care that goes into maintaining curly hair. He’s heard April talk about the trials of having coily hair - from maintenance to weird people who think it’s their right to touch other people (ew) - he’s heard it all. (She has around 3C-4A hair.) So while he doesn’t have the experience of having curly hair himself, he’s got a healthy respect and admiration for it. He memorizes the products and routines you do, and sees if there’s any way to automate your routine or make it easier. 
  * He’s good at striking a balance in coloring curly hair! If you ever want help with coloring your hair, he’s the turtle to go to. Great at mixing chemicals to lighten your hair without damaging your hair. He’s also got a great eye for color. 
  * He’s not one to put flowers in your hair himself, but he thinks they’re really pretty. And to be fair… it’s such a look. He’ll also short-circuit if you ever incorporate glasses into your aesthetic. (His biggest weakness </3) 



**Michelangelo**

  * He’s in LOVE. 
  * King of the flower crowns. If he was allowed inside Trader Joes, you know he’d be buying out their flower section so he could fashion them into crowns for you. But uh… we know about The Situation. And Dad said no more breaking into stores </3
  * So he likes to pick wild flowers instead!! (He’s most partial to Swamp Azalea, Goldenaster, Butterfly Weed, and Beachrod crowns! On road trips, he spends a lot of time picking flowers for you. He’s so cute.) 
  * Always forgets his umbrella </3 He’ll give you his jacket though. Dork. 
  * He’s pretty good at coloring curly hair! If you can figure out how to lighten it, he knows how to color it. He’s got a great idea of how the color will show up, and he knows how to pick the perfect shade. 
  * King of butterfly clips and bobby pins. 
  * In love with the way your hair bounces. He may or may not have a couple pages in his Commonplace Journal dedicated to poetry about you. 



**April O’Neil**

  * CURLY HAIR SOLIDARITY
  * Depending on how coily your hair is, how dry it is, what the texture is, etc. She might have some styling tips! She loves how short your hair is, too. 
  * Your guys’ bathroom is so stocked </3
  * Interested in knowing your routine! She’s down to share hers as well, if you ever want to try something new. She also wants to know about your history with your hair, if you’re fine with talking about it. Natural hair is something to be proud of, and growing up curly ain’t always easy.
  * She genuinely has no idea how to bleach & dye curly hair </3 If you ever want to try it though, she’d love to try it with you! (She REALLY wants neon green tips, or maybe an ombre…) 
  * Local beanie thief! She’s gonna steal ‘em all. (But gladly welcomes you doing the same, lmao.) 
  * Goddess at detangling! She’s gentle and fast as hell. It’s really easy to fall asleep in her arms like that. 
  * The humidity of NY is AWFUL. Y’all can suffer together, though. Rain doesn’t bother her all too much, but she’s always gonna pack an umbrella for you. 
  * Loves buying flower bouquets for you. When she walks in with them, she always has one smaller, cut flower to tuck behind your ear.
  * She loves writing poetry, and you're a frequent topic in her journals. 




	35. Insecurity - Donatello

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: aaaa can I ask for 36 with Donnie for the kissing thing? thank you, your writing makes me very happy ❤️
> 
> Prompt 36: Kissing away tears.

Donatello stretches in his bed, pulling his electric blanket closer to him. The heated fabric glides effortlessly over his shell, free of the hard metal and plastic of his battleshell and instead covered with a soft, purple hoodie. It’s a rare sight, to be sure. The neon purple lights of his room cast a cooling glow on his painted pixels, painting a scene that would put even the most devout purple-enthusiasts to shame. Any other time, he’d be sending you photos to capture the moment. Perhaps he’d attach some snarky, witty caption about how “God put him on the earth to serve looks.”

Although, today isn’t a normal day. He runs a lone finger over his phone’s screen, scrolling through long-lost social media. Yours, to be exact. Your profile is decorated with countless photos from different points in your life: friends, family, food, art… Although, most of the photos are old. Likely an abandoned account, or one that you use to keep in touch with family. 

It’s hard to imagine being in a relationship when you’re so secluded from the world, Sure, he’s had thoughts: grand and fantastical thoughts of romance that sweep him away, even if they’re never voiced out loud. Oh, how his brothers would tease him if they had heard his lovesick thoughts in his youth. He’d tease himself about it too, honestly. But now, he’s here. He’s given his heart and soul and has been given anothers’ in return. Despite his confident demeanor, he never thought he’d be in an actual relationship, much less with a human, but… he’s here. He made it. And he couldn’t be happier about it! But his mind wanders back to all those nights spent alone in his thoughts, and he realizes something: he’ll never have those small, domestic displays of affection with you. No photos together on social media, no double dates on the surface, no shopping at malls for overpriced t-shirts, no...normalcy. He’s never wanted normalcy, but god, wouldn’t it be nice to spend time with you like that? Or hell, to even hold your hand like a normal person? 

Oh, what he wouldn’t give to proclaim loud and proud that he’s your partner and vice versa. To put a face to the name, and for people to know that you’re as much his as he is yours. But... he can’t. And he knows that. But knowing doesn’t make it hurt any less. 

You’re so perfect. And he’s so...different. 

The tears are falling before he can stop them, and he rubs at the tracks roughly. “Fucking, shit,” he hisses, shooting up from under the covers. He doesn’t know why he’s fighting the tears, but fuck, they won’t stop coming and his heart hurts and he feels pathetic and  _ why do you even stay  _ **_and-_ **

Your hand stills above the numpad, hesitating to punch in the last number. Something about the lair feels off. Not a sense of danger per say, but… something doesn’t feel right. Your fingers graze the final number, and the door slides open with a deafening hiss. And fuck, you swear that you can feel your heart shattering at the sight before you. You walk forward quietly, taking as big of strides as you can, and sit down by his side. He jumps when you graze your hand across his shell, as though he hadn’t realized you’d come in at all. His breath stills when your eyes meet, and the look on his face can only be described as pure fear and… vulnerability. He doesn’t breathe but his tears continue to fall, leaving trails of hurt as they run from his eyes, down to his jaw, and onto the plush covers. His eyes dart around your face for a moment before landing on your fallen hand. He doesn’t speak. He doesn’t breathe. Your heart aches. 

“What’s wrong?” You whisper. 

He doesn’t respond, eyes still glued to your hand. The silence is deafening, and it only serves to fuel your worry. His fingers twitch before curling back into themselves: just as you’re about to press again, he speaks. It’s so quiet that you hardly catch it, but you catch it nonetheless. “It’s nothing,” comes his reply. 

“Donnie, please,” you plead, “I want to help. I get it if you don’t want to talk about it, but please, let me help.” 

“I just,” he sighs, “I don’t… Why? Why do you stay?” 

“Why do I stay?” You ask, “What do you mean?” 

“Why do you stay with  _ me?  _ I don’t- I don’t get it! You could be living some great, normal life with a human, and yet you choose me, and I don’t understand why. Like, I, I just…” He fumbles for a moment, trying to find the right words. “I… you’ll never have a normal life with me. And I want to give that to you so bad, but I’m not… I’m not human. I don’t know why you would want to stay with me.” He all but collapses into his hands as the last syllable leaves his lips, only to scratch at the new wave of tears running down his face. 

“D, look at me.” 

He does so, slowly, but does so nonetheless. You cup his face gently, wiping away his tears with your thumbs. “Donatello, I stay with you because I love you.” You kiss his cheek. “I don’t  _ want  _ a normal life, and I never have.” 

Kiss. 

“You’re smart.” 

Kiss.

“Funny.” 

Kiss. 

“Brave as all hell.” 

Kiss. 

“When I see other couples in the street, I smile. Not because I want what they have, but it makes me excited to come back home to you! To listen to you talk about your newest discovery, or your newest invention. To dance among the stars with you, or to walk between worlds with you! I love the way my hand feels in yours, and I love curling up to you in the dead of winter. I love how fucking nerdy you sound when you talk about WoW, how your eyes light up when you get passionate, and the way you talk with your hands. I love your laugh, and the way you smirk when you’re trying really hard not to smile. I love you because you’re you, Donnie. I don’t want normalcy: I want  _ you. _ ” 

And this time, he kisses you. His hands move like lightning to cup your face, and he kisses you like a man possessed. And in between breaths, whispers of “I love you” float out to encircle you both, like down feathers in the wind. 


End file.
